Hi every one
I have just bought a GAP voyager DX antenna which I have just put up.
At the moment I am rather disapointed, due to really high SWR on all
bands (160m, 80m, 40m and 20m). I am wondering if some one have a
schematic on this antenna, so I could do some inital measurements
between the terminals on the coax and to the different aluminum pipes
to see if something is wrong there. I forgot to make some drawings on
how things was actually connected especially for the top part with the
capacitor and the coaxial feed, and also how the thin loading pipes on
the sides are connected. This antenna is a real beast to put up and
probaply the same to take down so I do not look forward to try to take
it down to find the fault.

Best regards Assar W. SM2LTA

If you followed the instructions you will have a very good SWR. I did with
mine.

I do not have the paperwork available, but I'm sure GAP does. Check their
site via Google.

The cap at the top is for 160 meters only.

The side rods are for the various bands. It is the linear loading. The
longer the rod, the lower the frequency.

Dan/W4NTI

"Assar W." wrote in message
om...
Hi every one
I have just bought a GAP voyager DX antenna which I have just put up.
At the moment I am rather disapointed, due to really high SWR on all
bands (160m, 80m, 40m and 20m). I am wondering if some one have a
schematic on this antenna, so I could do some inital measurements
between the terminals on the coax and to the different aluminum pipes
to see if something is wrong there. I forgot to make some drawings on
how things was actually connected especially for the top part with the
capacitor and the coaxial feed, and also how the thin loading pipes on
the sides are connected. This antenna is a real beast to put up and
probaply the same to take down so I do not look forward to try to take
it down to find the fault.

Best regards Assar W. SM2LTA

What Dan just said is right.

Don't know if you want to take it down or not. You may have to. But, if
it's down, you can do a reasonably good setup with an atenna analyzer with
the Voyager laying on saw horses at strategic points.

What you do is get the swr as low as you can mid range on each of the bands.
When you get it up, it may end up a little better or worse, but that will be
about the best you can get it.

The reason they caution you not to use a tuner is because the swr slopes go
up rapidly once you get outside the "flat" part of the window on each band.
Higher swr means you can much more easily pop the caps. On bands where you
get higher than about 1:3, you will need to lower power somewhat to keep
from popping the caps. The tuner will probably bring in insofar as loading
is concerned, so your rig is happy, but it does nothing for the swr. The
only way the antenna can live with the higher swrs is through decreased
power.

"RB" wrote in message ...

Thanks all for your answers.
How good can I expect the SWR to be when the antenna is on the ground?
In principle how much will the antenna be detuned? I have an MFJ SWR
analyzer and I did some measurements on the antenna when it was laying
on the ground with the same bad result as when it was standing up. I
did not take that big notice about these bad readings then, as I
thought the antenna was to close to ground and I had not the
counterpoises in place yet. The antenna is still up but it will be
taken down at some time.

Best regards Assar W. SM2LTA

What Dan just said is right.

Don't know if you want to take it down or not. You may have to. But, if
it's down, you can do a reasonably good setup with an atenna analyzer with
the Voyager laying on saw horses at strategic points.

What you do is get the swr as low as you can mid range on each of the bands.
When you get it up, it may end up a little better or worse, but that will be
about the best you can get it.

The reason they caution you not to use a tuner is because the swr slopes go
up rapidly once you get outside the "flat" part of the window on each band.
Higher swr means you can much more easily pop the caps. On bands where you
get higher than about 1:3, you will need to lower power somewhat to keep
from popping the caps. The tuner will probably bring in insofar as loading
is concerned, so your rig is happy, but it does nothing for the swr. The
only way the antenna can live with the higher swrs is through decreased
power.

Saw horses will give you better decoupling from ground, thereby putting you
a little closer to the erected swr. Besides, it the best you can do,
probably.

GAP also sells the Super "C" antenna. This thingamajig looks like a CFA (hoax)
antenna in my eyes...

Comments, anyone?

/N



Dan/W4NTI wrote:

If you followed the instructions you will have a very good SWR. I did with
mine.

I do not have the paperwork available, but I'm sure GAP does. Check their
site via Google.

The cap at the top is for 160 meters only.

The side rods are for the various bands. It is the linear loading. The
longer the rod, the lower the frequency.

Dan/W4NTI

"Assar W." wrote in message
om...
Hi every one
I have just bought a GAP voyager DX antenna which I have just put up.
At the moment I am rather disapointed, due to really high SWR on all
bands (160m, 80m, 40m and 20m). I am wondering if some one have a
schematic on this antenna, so I could do some inital measurements
between the terminals on the coax and to the different aluminum pipes
to see if something is wrong there. I forgot to make some drawings on
how things was actually connected especially for the top part with the
capacitor and the coaxial feed, and also how the thin loading pipes on
the sides are connected. This antenna is a real beast to put up and
probaply the same to take down so I do not look forward to try to take
it down to find the fault.

Best regards Assar W. SM2LTA

GAP also sells the Super "C" antenna. This thingamajig looks like a CFA
(hoax)
antenna in my eyes...

Well, the CFA "works", and the "C" works. Anything works to an extent. The
CFA works like any short fat vertical, and so does the Super "C". The CFA does
not work as the inventors describe, the C may.
The "C" works 20 meters thru 10 meters, and if you look at the dimensions of
the radiator and ground plane, the efficiency shouldn't be that bad. I have
not measured ,,just guessing. No worse than my 8' mobile antenna on 20-10m.
The "C" should put out a decent signal on 20-10m.
Small antennas have efficiency problems. A "C" on 20M or a CFA of comparable
size and properly matched will work ok on 20, but try them on 80m :-(.
73 Gary N4AST