Yo-Yo "V" Antenna - 4 Spools (add 2 extension spools for 75m)

I am currently testing with a neat fan dipole design called the Yo-Yo V (Inverted "V") primarily for 40m and 75m.

What I like about it is that it is very functional and transports compactly in a tidy package.

Initial test results are quite promising.
- With one pair of spools rolled out their full length for 40m, the automatic tuner barely budged.

- The other pair set to a guess-ta-mated length for 20m, we could tune up fast on 20m, 2 other bands took more Of course, if I had adjust the lengths for each specific band then the antenna tuner would not have had to really work so hard.

- The ease and speed of set-up/take-down is good.

- I recommend setting up a halyard to raise and lower the antenna to avoid tangled lines.

- Use one pair of reels for 40m, and use the other set with and additional set of reels to extend the length for 75m operation.

I am hanging it from a 31' Telescoping Fiberglass Mass (pole) with the top two sections retracted to add strength.


The extended mast slips over a light duty metal 4' Fence Post which is hammered into the dirt to the depth of its spade anchor for stability.

The Yo-Yo V is commercially available at:
www.hamradiofun.com/yo-yo-vee-model4-6.htm

SAVE $$$
You can make your own at a much more reasonable cost*.
Find out how at:
www.rarcpio.net/yyv/

* Be sure to add the balun for a center insulator.
Available at fine Ham Fests and Amateur Equipment suppliers near you... or...
www.unadilla.com/pricelist/W2AUseries

The Jackite Telescoping Mast (pole) is available at:
www.hamsource.com/mast.html

Dateline: Monday, December 21, 2015

It is now 2 weeks later, and while I really like its use for 2m - 40m, I am having second thoughts about this antenna with regards to the footprint required to operate on 75m.

Right now, for 40m the total wire length is about 66 feet.
To get to 75m, an additional reel on each side extends the total overall length to about 132 feet.

I think that we need to find a way to shorten the total overall length for field deployment.

Consider that:
a) you may not have that amount of real estate available at your operating site.
b) you may not want to be playing around with an antenna that long during adverse weather (WX).

Note:
The "Ham Stick" style dipole is a second place performer when compared to a full size dipole.

NEXT
I will now be turning my attention next to the Knight/Lane "Versatile Wire Antenna" (Dipole), which is cleverly configured to achieve an 80% reduction in overall length without sacrificing the actual length of wire used in a full sized dipole.
- This means that this 75m antenna could be just 51 feet long (~ 25' legs)

Patent
www.google.com/patents/US7864131

After deploying this antenna several times in "da Field", I have only 1 real criticism of this design.

1) The supplied Balun / RF Choke is too heavy for general amateur radio use.
- Operating at 15' AG, as a Horizontal NVIS antenna, the 31' Jackite mast is okay
- Operating in any other configuration, you really need a sturdier mast (e.g. the 12m mast from Spiderbeam) to support the antenna above 20'.

2) And, in this day of automatic gratification, having to remeasure 2 legs (with an SWR test) to change a frequency is a bit annoying in cold/wet weather.

Conclusion
BUILD YOUR OWN... and use a smaller and lighter weight Toroid for a RF Choke.
- Example: Sotabeams Bandhopper series of antennas