The next step was to get an efficient 160 meter antenna up.  My plan was to start with the 80 meter vertical and build on it.  I got the 160 Meter antenna tuned and up the week after the ARRL 160 meter contest.  Go figure.

   I've installed a vacuum relay at the top of the antenna which is remotely controlled from the shack.  It switches in or out another approximately 65 feet of wire to form an inverted L for 160.  So far, the horizontal part of the "L" droops down to a height of 20 ft and zigzags a bit for the last 20 feet.

     I now have about 45 feet of the horizontal end of the antenna up much higher secured to new tower and and then over to a tree.  My SteppIR DB-18E on the new tower provides capacitive top loading.  By changing the frequency of the SteppIR I can tune the 160 meter antenna from 1.8 to 1.9 MHz. making the antenna usable across the parts of the band I use. 

    This antenna works fairly well.  I am competitive in DX pile ups and met my goal for this 160 season and finished my top band DXCC.  With the cards in hand the ARRL awarded me 160M DXCC.

Bill Axelrod 7 July 2011