NVIS 40m Dipole Mobile Whip Antenna

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How sturdy is the centrepiece? How are you going to mount it?

I've looked at them before but can't decide if it's going to be strong enough.

The MFJ-347 is the one to go for if your worried about the strength of a dipole centre for 3/8th whips.

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How on earth would you consider using a dipole mobile

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Just bit the bullet and bought a set for 40m, I'll swap out the 50MHz halo with it. I'll leave the compromise multi-band antenna as is for now, as I'm not running QRP having a resonant antenna is not so important

If enough of us get some half decent NVIS antennas for 40 we could get some CT action going.

Do let know if a CT something goes ahead on 40 sometime and I'll try to join in if home. 40 is my least efficient permanent element but have made a few contacts between 50 and 300 miles when the foF2 has been high enough.

Related note, on mobile antennas that might be suitable for NVIS I came across an 11m antenna designed for RVs made by Jo Gunn (you should find easily with a quick net search). Something like that probably could be fitted to roof racks of large cars and with a couple of coils to bring it to resonance on 40 and being so low to the ground, it might just work.

My whips arrive later today and the dipole centres are already here. They are a lot better than I was expecting for £7. Any actual outside antenna work will have to wait for a little while however,

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Reading about optimal height above ground (for 40m) I think that I've settled on 15 feet. It could go higher, but I shall try that for now.

Need a dry not so windy day to actually get it out there....

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I got it up today!

I also raised the mast another 15 feet, apparently it may be windy tomorrow.... but you only live once.

Not impressed so far, but the fof2 barely reached 7MHZ today, so it was seriously outperformed by the existing coax fed compromise antenna.

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