[OhQP-mail] Portable antenna advice, please

[Hank Greeb]

I'll be operating with a "stealth" antenna at my daughter's condo for 
the Ohio QSO Party.  I thought about rigging a way to do my usual 130' 
dipole, but figure that might not be enough "stealth."  I don't want to 
get her into any trouble, so I'm seeking advice on the "best compromise" 
for an end fed antenna.  I've plenty of room to put up a 67' end fed 
antenna, (quarter wave on 80 meters) with the top supported by a 31' 
jackite pole which will be on top of a 4' military surplus 4' or maybe 
even 8' section of mast.  I've rigged the antenna here at home, and have 
figured a way to guy it unobtrusively so it should stay up for the 12 
hours of the OHQP.

Question.  I have plenty of 24 gauge wire.  Should I make this a bit 
longer, so the antenna is 5/8 wave on 40 meters l(about 100'), or a bit 
shorter, so it won't be more than 5/8 wavelength on 20 meters? (that 
would be about 53 feet).  I'll be using an impedance matching device, 
and a significant ground system, so impedance matching and stray RF 
"probably" won't be a problem.  And, I'll have all morning on Saturday 
to test things out to make sure things will work.

The last time I've used an end fed wire, on anything but very temporary 
field use, was back in 1967, when I was in an apartment building and 
there was no other option easily available.

Advice, please.

Hoping to see many of you from DELAware county, both as W1AW/8 (running 
--- aarrggghhhh! --- 100 watts) and N8Q (running my usual 5 watts.   
Lettuce Prey the end fed antenna will do a reasonable job. My home 
antenna, a 130' dipole fed with 400 ohm ladder line, configured as an 
Inverted vee with center at 28' has been proven to be a few dB better 
than a dummy load buried 6' under ground.   And end 31' end fed antenna, 
supported by the jackite pole, has functioned admirable in portable QRP 
operation, so perhaps the end fed antenna in DELAware county will prove 
useful.