~ 40-Meter 3-Way Short Vertical Array ~ August 2014

By L.B. Cebik (SK)

T
his paper is about a short, simple 3-way vertical array for 40 meters. There is nothing
new in the concepts underlying the array. But you might not have seen them arranged
quite this way.

The array consists of a triangle of three off-center-fed vertical dipoles close to the
ground and no more than 22' above ground at their peaks. Each vertical dipole is end
loaded with an element extension device--hats and near-hats. Each element has an
inductive reactance at its off-center break. The driven element inductor acts as a beta-
match shunt inductance, while the reflector inductor acts as a loading element to
electrically lengthen the element. Quarter-wavelength coax lines to each vertical act as
a power carrier for the driven element and as an open circuit for the reflectors through a
remotely switched bank of three relays centered in the triangle of verticals. No ground
plane is needed.

The result is an array with modest gain (which varies with the method of element end
loading), better than 10 dB front-to-back ratio, a low elevation angle of maximum
radiation (about 24 degrees, with a wide vertical lobe for lower angle signals), and little
high angle radiation. Switching provides complete 360-degree coverage at nearly full
gain, divided into three quadrants.

Let's divide the concepts underlying this array into easy-to-digest chunks.

1. 1 vs. 2 Reflectors for Verticals

Any vertical antenna--ground-plane or dipole--becomes directional if one adds a slightly

longer antenna of the same sort 1/4 wl behind the driven antenna. The ultimate in
rearward nulls occurs if we use a carefully pruned phasing line between the two
elements. However, good gain and adequate front-to-rear response occur if we make
the reflector about 3-4% longer than the driven element or if we inductively load the
reflector to an equivalent electrical length.

We can add a modicum of gain and extra front-to-rear nulling by using three verticals,
arranged in an equilateral triangle, 1/4 wl per side. The reflector verticals are tuned in
the same way as a single reflector. The sketch shows the basic layout and direction of
the main lobe.

antenneX Issue No. 208 August 2014 Page 1

 ~ 40-Meter 3-Way Short Vertical Array ~ August 2014

By L.B. Cebik (SK)

The following azimuth patterns compare the performance of 1- and 2- reflector arrays.
Note that these patterns might be individually improved by careful tweaking of values,
while the rearward nulls might be deepened by the use of a phasing line system. For a
simplified, non-phasing-line system, the 1/4 wl per side triangle is important to further
steps in the final array developed here.

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 ~ 40-Meter 3-Way Short Vertical Array ~ August 2014

By L.B. Cebik (SK)

The 3-Way Array

If we can selectively make each vertical a driven element and the other two reflectors,
we can create a switchable beam. The broad forward lobes nicely cover just about 1/3
of the horizon with a full-strength signal, with a significant reduction of signal strength
from the rear.

This array has been used, although with 1/4 wl monopoles, it requires extensive ground
planning. Typically, the means used to convert driven elements into reflectors and back
tend to be complex. Most examples have used phasing networks to produce the
deepest possible nulls to the rear. See for example, the section (4.11) in ON4UN's Low
Band DXing (pages 11-48 to 11-54) for techniques used to phase feed triangular arrays
from 0.145 to 0.29 wl per side.

If 10-12 dB front-to-rear performance for a 3-way array is sufficient, we may omit the
phasing line and use the phasing that results from the parasitical arrangement of
elements. However, vertical monopoles with ground planes (not to mention full size
vertical dipoles) are very tall on 40 meters. So let's rethink the antenna elements.

antenneX Issue No. 208 August 2014 Page 3

 ~ 40-Meter 3-Way Short Vertical Array ~ August 2014

By L.B. Cebik (SK)

Capacity Hat Dipoles

Instead of using 35' vertical monopoles or base-loaded shortened versions of them, let's
think about vertical dipoles instead. We can add capacity hats to the ends of dipoles
and shorten them considerably without losing much gain. Hats are simply symmetrical
arrays of wire at right angles to the dipole ends. The symmetry results in radiation
cancelling and hence does not yield significant horizontally polarized radiation.

As described in other notes in this series concerning the top-end loading of half-size 80-
meter verticals, a hat does not have to be perfectly symmetrical to yield insignificant
horizontal radiation. For most purposes, a horizontal pattern that is down by 30 dB from
the total far field pattern has an insignificant effect on antenna performance. However,
such non-symmetrical element extensions usually reduces the operating bandwidth and
gain by a small (but not insignificant) amount.

Here is a small sample of possible hat arrangements.

For a 1/4-size dipole (about 17.5'), standard capacity hat assemblies will have a radius
well over 7 feet, and the simple square with a perimeter requires a spoke length of
about 8.5 feet. Spirals and solenoids can be made much smaller, although they will
require just about the same overall length of wire. For example, a helix of 2 full turns
plus a little can be arrange with a radius of about 2 feet, for easier mechanical
construction. See the notes on linear loaded half size verticals for other possible
element extension ideas.

Hat size will also vary with the exact distance from the ground of the dipole bottom end.
The models used here placed the lower end about 4.5' off the ground with the tops at
22' up.

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 ~ 40-Meter 3-Way Short Vertical Array ~ August 2014

By L.B. Cebik (SK)

Each vertical dipole will be identical. For 7 MHz, they should be resonated without any
attachments at about 100 kHz higher than the desired center frequency of operation.
This will produce an independent feedpoint impedance of about 27 - j40 ohms at the
target frequency. This impedance is of some importance to the array's operation.

Where to Feed the Dipole

Feeding the dipole at its center is the standard, but is not necessary. This feedpoint will
be some 13' off the ground, a very unhandy place for handling coaxial feedlines.

So let's feed the dipole off center, namely, at the lowest point before entering the lower
hat assembly. The small distance from the element's electrical center (0.06 wl) makes
about a 1-ohm difference in feedpoint resistance. The radiation pattern difference and
the currents on the antenna element are virtually unaffected. (If you model the dipole
using center and off-center feed, be sure to switch to a constant power option rather
than using a voltage or current source. Otherwise, the current readings will not be
comparable.)

With our off-center feed, the coax is now only 4.5' off the ground, a much more
manageable position from a mechanical standpoint.

Loading the Verticals

Across the feedpoint of each vertical, attach a 50-ohm inductive load. This can be a
shorted transmission line stub. A 450-ohm line stub will be about 2.35' long, while a
300-ohm line stub will be almost 3' long. Sturdy stubs of 1/8" rod can be made in any
line width. Programs such HAMCALC have stub calculating programs for home brewing
almost any kind of stub imaginable.

antenneX Issue No. 208 August 2014 Page 5

 ~ 40-Meter 3-Way Short Vertical Array ~ August 2014

By L.B. Cebik (SK)

The figure illustrates the stub and coil options. A coil of about 1.15 microH is required
for the inductive reactance of about 50 ohms. A coil 1" long and 1" in diameter with
about 8 turns of #12 wire will satisfy this requirement. A slightly smaller coil of 1/8"
diameter aluminum wire would also work well and not incur bi-metallic effects common
to aluminum-copper junctions, but at a slight cost in Q due to the slightly higher
resistance of aluminum.

For the reflectors, the loading inductance makes the element electrically longer--just
about the right amount to act as a first-rate reflector for the driven element.

When the three verticals are arranged as an equilateral triangle about 35.1' on a side,
the driven element shows an impedance of about 30 - j 25 ohms. This figure is just
about ideal for using a shunt beta inductive reactance in the 50-60 ohm range. This is
the function of the inductor at the feedpoint of the driven element.

Connecting and Switching the Array

Each inductor is across the feedpoint of its vertical dipole. Also across each feedpoint is
a coax connector. A piece of 50-ohm coax 1/4 wl long runs from the connector to the
center point of the array. This point is about 20.3' from each vertical. Solid dielectric
coax commonly has a velocity factor of 0.66, and a 1/4 wl section will be about 23.1'
long. This length will reach, but not permit much droop to the coax. To allow the coax to
reach the ground comfortable, consider foam dielectric coax, with a velocity factor near
0.8, for a rough length of 28.1 feet.

antenneX Issue No. 208 August 2014 Page 6

 ~ 40-Meter 3-Way Short Vertical Array ~ August 2014

By L.B. Cebik (SK)

A 1/4 wl length of transmission line is useful in switching. If we ground the end at the
center of the array, the end at the antenna element will show a very high impedance,
essentially an open circuit. The high impedance in parallel with the inductor at the
element feedpoint means that the currents distributed along the element will see only
the loading inductance. This condition is perfect for the element to function as a
reflector.

However, if we connect the coax at the array center end to a source of RF, then the 1/4
wl section simply acts as a continuation of the 50 ohm line. The shunt beta inductor in
conjunction with the series capacitive reactance at the antenna feedpoint forms an L-
circuit that converts the low resistive component to 50 ohms (or thereabouts).

If we place three SPDT relays in a weather-proof box, we can remotely switch which
vertical receives power while the other two act as reflectors. The simplified diagram
shows the scheme.

Anticipated Results

This array provides broad, but low gain coverage of a full 1/3 of the horizon. Its chief
advantages are low angle radiation combined with quite decent reduction in signal
strength off the rear. It will not compete with even a 2-element Yagi that is nearly a half

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 ~ 40-Meter 3-Way Short Vertical Array ~ August 2014

By L.B. Cebik (SK)

wavelength up, but that is not its purpose. It will compete quite nicely with delta loops
and similar self-contained vertically polarized wires (SCVs). Some SCVs may have
greater gain, but the front-to-back ratio of the triangular array will compensate in many
situations. Moreover, the triangular array requires a smaller and tidier piece of real
estate.

System gain for the triangular will vary from 1.5 dBi to 4.5 dBi depending on the quality
of the ground in the region most affecting the far field pattern. (Gain will be even higher
near salt water, but few of us live on an island.) The front-to-back ratio will usually be
better than 10 dB and often exceed 12 dB (2 S-units).

Reality

Although this system is almost elegant in its simplicity, adapting it to local conditions of
terrain, height above ground, etc. will require considerable experimentation before
settling upon the exact operating conditions. If you aim for the desired independent
feedpoint impedance of the independent dipoles--adjusting the element extensions
accordingly--then the remaining steps are likely to be routine. Routine does not mean
automatic and considerable patience will be required to get everything just right.

The operating bandwidth is likely to be fairly narrow, so the antenna may be best suited
for CW operators (who seem more comfortable with favorite operating frequencies that
are fairly narrow in scope).

The models used here used vertical elements of 1.25" diameter aluminum. One might
use larger diameter elements for both structural and bandwidth improvements. The
physical model under development here will likely use PVC and CPVC for all
nonconductive elements, including the vertical pipes that keep the elements at least 4.5'
off the ground. The short verticals should be easily supported without the use of
concrete if the base PVC section is capped with drainage holes and a gravel counter-
weight filling below the soil level. Other construction ideas abound.

The principles of this array are adaptable to longer dipoles and even to antennas
considered to be monopoles with elevated ground planes (which are- -whatever we
choose to call them--still dipoles). This has been an exercise in putting fundamentals
together. Hence, I claim no originality for the array--and indeed, it may well have been
published many times before. It is such a natural, that I would be surprised if it has not
appeared numerous times in print--even if in different rubric.

But if I have been clear enough in saying how these pieces go together, then perhaps
you are a step closer to being able to put your own favorite pieces together to make
your own ideal array.

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 ~ 40-Meter 3-Way Short Vertical Array ~ August 2014

By L.B. Cebik (SK)

About the Author

L.B. Cebik, W4RNL (SK)
1939 ~ 2008

L. B. Cebik, W4RNL, has written extensively about antennas and

antenna modeling (as well as other electronics subjects) in most of
the U.S. ham journals, including QST, CQ, Communications
Quarterly, QEX, Ham Radio, 73, QRP Quarterly, Radio-Electronics,
and QRPp. Besides the continuing series of antenna modeling
columns he did for antenneX, he also wrote a column for 10-10
News (An-Ten-Ten-nas) and another for Low Down (Antennas From
the Ground Up). A life member of ARRL, he served as both
Technical and Educational Advisor. Many years ago, LB joined the position as Technical Editor for
antenneX.

L. B. has published dozens of books, with works on antennas for both the beginner and the
advanced student. Among his books are basic and further advanced tutorials in the use of NEC
antenna modeling software and compilations of his many shorter pieces. Plus, ~30 of his books
have been published by antenneX and listed in the BookShelf at this website.

He has been a ham since 1954 and was also a life member of QCWA and of 10-10 International, for
which he had maintained an extensive web site.

He also maintained a web site owned and operated by antenneX ( http://www.cebik.com ) on which
he placed a large collection of entries from his notebooks. A teacher for over 30 years, he retired
and became professor emeritus of philosophy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. antenneX
is very fortunate, indeed, to have had LB as a member of its writing team and Tech Editor for more
than a decade.

Sadly, LB transcended this world in April 2008. He is missed by so many whose lives he touched.

antenneX Online Issue No. 208 August 2014

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