The snow melted, the rain stopped, and it was antenna growing season in central Illinois.  My first project was a two element 40 Meter Phased Vertical Array.

I opted to use the DX Engineering DXE-4030VA-1 which is a full sized 40 meter vertical with a trap to allow 30 meter operation.  As you can almost see in the picture I mounted two of them in the woods in a Northeast - Southwest orientation.  It was a lot easier to put this array up before the leaves cam in.  I use the Comtek Systems PVS-1 control box.

The antenna works well giving me about 3 DBd gain and 15 to 20 DB front-to-back in the NE and SW directions and about 2 db gain NW and SE.  It even has a pretty good pattern on 30 meters.  My first QSO with it was VK9GMW on Mellish Reef, long path, for an all-time new one on 30 meters so I guess it works.

Please click one of the following buttons to get more info on the components used in this array.

Bill Axelrod 7 July 2011