traditional W3DZZ trap dipole. The antenna system will almost certainly require some impedance matching to suit rigs with solid state power amplifiers - again, this is just like the W3DZZ antenna.
Antenna purists will often tell you that an antenna of this type requires radials, or a sophisticated earth system for optimum performance. But in practice the antenna works very well with a modest earth system, although this is dependant on soil conditions. Fortunately, for me in the south western area of Scotland we're 'blessed' with more than our fair share of rain, together with a very clay-rich soil, usually just below the surface.
Because of the rain and soil blessing, a good r.f. earth is assured with only a single one metre long earth rod. But should you have a rather more sandy soil in you area, you may require to install longer earth rods or an earth mat to achieve an acceptable r.f. earth. It's very much cases of 'suck it and see' - though not literally of course!
The prototype antenna was constructed from a heavy enameled copper wire (2mm diameter or 14 s.w.g.) obtained free as an end of roll gift from a local armature winder. There's a singe 7Mz resonant trap to make it more efficient on that band.

General Layout

The general layout of the antenna and the theoretical lengths of the antenna are shown in the illustration Fig.1. The Antenna is fed with 50W coaxial cable, with the coaxial screen connected to the earth rod. This connection is secured using a 'Tenby' earth clamp intended for earthing water pipes and available from most d.i.y. centers.

The centre core of the coaxial cable is connected to the antenna via a single 15A 'chocolate block' connector. After double checking these Connections and continuity, the whole area is covered in Denso tape. Fig.2. to waterproof it. No balun or other matching network is needed for 3.5 and 7MHz as the antenna's feed point impedance is close to 50W. The 7MHz trap is constructed from 11 turns of RG58 coaxial cable wound on a 100mm piece of 40mm diameter plastic drainage piping as shown in the illustration Fig. 3. and the photograph Fig. 4. In this type of trap the coaxial cable acts as both capacitor and inductor and is capable of working at power levels in excess of a kilowatt.
It's imperative that screen and centre cores of the coaxial cable are parted as close to the point the cable passes through the hole in the pipe as possible. This is to ensure the correct value of capacitance and inductance. The centre core of one end of the coaxial cable is soldered to the screen at the other end.
As with the feed-point, the ends of the coaxial trap and other joints must be weather proofed. The capillary effects of coaxial cable are legendary and water ingress will total ruin your trap. Any sealant must be of the non acetic type, (i.e. it doesn't smell like vinegar) to prevent cable corrosion.
The height at which the antenna folds over from vertical to horizontal is not critical but generally the higher it is the better. Extra height, not only aids the DX performance of the antenna but also significantly reduces the amount of horizontal space required.
Tuning the antenna is quite simple but it is imperative that it is done in the correct order. Firstly cut both sections of the antenna about a half a metre longer than the dimensions shown in Fig. 1.

Tuning Operation

To start the tuning operation, begin on 7MHz and trim the wire length at the end nearest the earth connection 50mm at a time until the lowest s.w.r. is achieved. I managed an indicated s.w.r. of less than 1.2:1 over the whole of 40m. Then move to 3.5MHz and repeat the process, but this time trimming the side of the antenna furthest away from the earth i.e. the side nearest the house in Fig. 1. The s.w.r. on the 3.5MHz band should be less than 2:1 over the whole of the band falling to about 1.2 to 1 at the point of resonance. So, it's worth setting the lowest s.w.r. at the section of the band you normally use, if you have a preference.

The antenna can be made in a weekend with plenty of time left over to work that elusive DX. Having a very low visual visual impact most Local Authorities Planning Departments can be Convinced that it is a 'minimalist' installation not requiring planning permission, however this should be confirmed with your local planning office.
I've had a lot of fun using the antenna and thoroughly recommend it to anybody not having enough garden room to erect a full size dipole in the optimum direction. So, why not chat up your local electric motor rewinding company for the wire to make your next antennas? Page 3