Hello all

I've made a first attempt at installing an antenna. It's a 2 Slinky dipole
strung across my roof. I chose the Slinky dipole because it promised to give
good (if not excellent) results in a relatively short antenna. I strung it
between two 2' wood standards at the top of the roof. The roof is about
25-30' from the ground. I used the twin feedline, which is about 18', and
the insulators from a GSRV Mini antenna I bought. The twinline is connected
with a balun to a 50' RG-8X cable that runs across the roof and down to my
window. I've temporarily led it in through the window. The excess cable,
probably about 20 feet or so, is loosely coiled between the inner and outer
window.

The reception is great. I was picking up DX from Europe. However, I got no
answers to any attempt to call out. I wasn't expecting DX for my very first
QSO, but I was hoping for someone.

I think it may be because the feedline runs along the roof rather than
hanging in free space. Could this be the case? The SWR was terrible; it took
my automatic tuner a lot of work to get a match, but I was getting 1.5 or
less on 80 and 40.

Thank you for any advice you can offer.

73
Basil Burgess, VE3JEB

My email is basilb which is through hotmail