LPDAs, huh?

Ever see anything more beautiful than this?

 

(Click on image for more)

This is a Tennadyne T-6 log periodic dipole array (LPDA) antenna that operates on all frequencies between about 13 and 30 MHz.   You might recognize it as a TV antenna on steroids, which is exactly what it is.

LPDA’s are a favorite with military and commercial operators that must be able to operate on any frequency within the shortwave spectrum.  The addition of a few new amateur radio bands over the years has made this type of antenna useful for amateur radio operations as well.  As a bonus, because of its continuous frequency coverage, this antenna provides gain and directivity for several international shortwave broadcast bands as well.

But this picture is as bad as it gets.  A serious storm in the Midwest coated the antenna with ice on the day before Thanksgiving 2004.  As this was about a month after I put it up, I was not pleased to see it this way.  Without snow, all elements are in a horizontal plane, about 50 feet high, with the longest element being 38 feet – just to give you perspective.  Large chunks of ice fell off the antenna over the next few days, and it sprang back to its original form when the ice was gone.  But four days is a long time to hold your breath.. 

Kudos to the folks from Tennadyne, it takes a licking.  You can see more (bigger) antennas like this at the Tennadyne site.

Make something good happen.