TZ-V-3x
20/30/40m Trapped Vertical
The TZ-V-3x is a tri-band trapped vertical antenna designed to permit operation on the lower frequency DX amateur bands of 20, 30 and 40m. As the sunspot minima is almost arrived, DXing is best achieved on the mid to lower HF bands and this antenna is designed to offer the ham operator with limited space, the best possible opportunity to work DX in the coming few years. If you've got a tight budget or a small yard or terrace house, why not give the usual HF DX frequencies a shot with a vertical. When mounted in the clear at a height of 10m or more the antenna will provide outstanding DX signals due to the low angle of radiation. Radiation patterns of the antenna will soon be available on this web site.The TZ-V-3x uses 2 coaxial traps which are not affected by rain since the traps are sealed. The TZ-V-3x can be mounted in one of three (3) ways:
a. Mount the antenna on the ground using a 50mm diameter galvanised steel pipe, 1000mm long or greater. Use a sledge hammer to insert the pipe into the ground or dig a hole and bury it so that approximately 300m protrudes above ground. Directly mount the vertical to the pipe. It is advisable to install a 2.0m or greater length of copper clad steel earthing bar next to the antenna to provide an adequate earth. Connect as many earth radials as possible for optimum low angle radiation and efficiency of your antenna.
b. Mount the antenna on a metal deck roof (your garage for instance) and use the metallic structure as the ground plane for the antenna. Again a 50mm diameter pipe is recommended and the metal structure should have at least 1m2 of metal surface area.
c. Mount the antenna on a mast or tower at any height and use a set of radials as the ground plane for the antenna. This is the most efficient method of mounting providing the best radiation pattern. RippleTech Electronics offers a set of three radials to suit the antenna for $33.00 inclusive of GST. For optimum VSWR the radials should be angled towards at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The RippleTech radials are specially trimmed so that the antenna remains resonant for any of the three (3) mounting options.
Due to the length of the antenna it is strongly recommended that nylon or plastic guys are used whenever the antenna is to be mounted in an area that is subject to strong or gusty winds. The guys are best positioned immediately above the 20m trap. This is especially important if the antenna is mounted on a mast.
Acetal plastic insulating sections are used for mechanical strength and stiffness so that the antenna can handle strong winds. The lower section of the antenna is 32mm O.D, tapering down to 12mm O.D. at the top. Trap covers are provided for bird and rodent protection rather than weather protection since the traps are fully sealed. The coaxial traps provide excellent isolation from band to band and their high Q ensures low losses. The bandwidth of the antenna is remarkable for a trapped antenna and the complete bandwidth of each bands is covered with VSWR under 2.0:1 when correctly tuned.
Stainless steel fasteners are used (except for mounting U bolts which are optionally S/S) as well as aluminium rivets for reduced corrosion. Three (3) stainless steel hose clamps are used to permit adjustment of the antenna on each band. Assembly is simple and straightforward, and if by chance something does go wrong most parts can be obtained from your local hardware store, e.g. nuts, screws, rivets, U bolts etc.
The Rippletech radial kit is recommended for tower or mast mounting of the antenna. Optional S/S mounting U bolts are also available instead of the galvanised version for an additional cost of $20.00 inclusive of GST.
The TZ-V-3x trapped vertical features include:
Operating bands 20/30/40m Max Operating power 1 kW PEP, 250W CW continuous Typical impedance 35 ohm - 50 ohm (depending on installation) Gain -1.0 to 0 dBd Effective Gain 1.4 dBi Typical (when mounted at 1 wavelength height) VSWR 1.5:1 (typical) Bandwidth 20m > 1500 kHz, 30m > 500 kHz, 40m > 300 kHz Total length 7.5m (40m option to be advised) Wind Survival 120 kmph Weight 6.5 kgs (approx 20 lb) (To be confirmed) The TZ-V-3x is supplied with all stainless steel hardware except for the boom/pole mount U bolts (optionally S/S).
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