SkywireloopThis week I visiting my parents in Hautes Alpes, France (JN24XM) again. Last sunday evening we arrived and the next morning I did check the wire antenna’s on the roof. They were all broken due to heavy snow slidings.
After fixing the open dipole for 20 and the long wire for the other bands on the roof, I put up my famous full wave 40 meter horizontal loop behind the house.
All antenna’s are up and running again and work great.

This morning I did see some 10 meter spots on the cluster so I tuned 10 meter on my long wire. After listening for a few minutes there was a great clear and crisp signal from Henk, PA0RKS. He was CQing. I gave him a call back and as a total surprise Henk did hear me! My first QSO on the 10 meter band had happened! It must have been some sporadic E-reflection. Thanks Henk!

multiband open dipoleOkay, so I got it finally up and running, my cat moustache antenna! First I build a decent 1:1 balun with an 4C65 core. I did want to attach more then one set of wires on a single feeding point. I did it with a piece of drainage pipe and some nuts and bolts. Insert the balun from under and ready! The wires where the right length in the first run. Only the 40m wires I had to shorten a little.

40m, 20m and 10m wires a nice harmonic within the middle of each band, swr is okay even without tuner. I’m a happy camper!

Amidon BalunLast night my good friend Fred, PA3YH was visiting me. We’ve made a 1:1 balun for my new multiband dipole. I did think Fred has a funny name for such a antenna: cat-mustache-antenna.
The design of the antenna is still in my head mainly. But soon I will make a drawing of it and I’ll build the thing. The balun I needed anyway, so that has been made!