80 - 40 and 20 meter multiband fan dipole built for AA4CV

You can find more information on the PACRAT at www.sstowers.com or follow the link above.

I received a call from AA4CV Richard Whipple needing some help with antennas. W4QJP and KC4TAQ stopped in to see what could be done. Dick's back yard is very tight but he did have a large oak located about midpoint of the property with an overhanging branch about 40 feet high and enough distances diagonal across the yard for an 80 meter dipole. The problem was that we had nowhere to go for the 40 meter wire if we built the dipole as we typically do and run the 40 meter wire 90 degrees from the 80. I got on-line and Googled up Ham Universe and read about the "fan dipole". It sounded like the perfect solution IF it would work. I forwarded the page to Sam KC4TAQ and we decided to give it a try. Sam built the "loop" from 1" PVC and drilled the holes according to instructions from the article. We assembled the antenna on the tail gate my truck then attached it to a side arm on the PACRAT for initial tuning. We backed the PACRAT in under the oak tree and ran it up to reach the limb where I hung the pulley that supports the antenna. I am holding the balum which is about 38 feet above ground.

Thanks to Ham Universe for this design. Click for more images of the build.