N4CF antenna

I bought a Carolina Windom that covers 80m - 6m from The Radio Works (no longer in business). This 133' wire antenna resembles a dipole, but is fed off-center through a line isolator, a vertical radiator, and a balun at the top.

Click the small links at left for details of how I planned and erected the antenna.

The Carolina Windom requires an antenna tuner, and my Elecraft KAT500 automatically selects the correct settings for each frequency. It is a distinct pleasure to change bands and be ready to transmit instantly!

The antenna feed point is about 35 feet high, and the ends are roughly five feet higher.

The photo above shows the 22' coax vertical radiator hanging from the balun attached to the antenna wire at the 38%/62% point. The white line isolator hangs at the bottom of the vertical radiator, and the feed line (not visible in this photo) attaches to that.

Even though it appears that the antenna might run through tree branches, it does not – it is clear of all trees.

Update September 2020 – The branches eventually grew long enough to interfere with the antenna, so that tree now rests horizontally in the woods.

The map shows the antenna is oriented NNW and SSE. It is largely omnidirectional due to the vertical radiator, but the main radiation lobes are broadside to the wire, toward 72° (ENE) and 252° (WSW).



Updated March 27, 2024