Question about longwire antenna setup

[cdev]

A VNA would be nice, but a directional wattmeter would be cheaper 

https://www.tindie.com/products/hcxqsgroup/nanovna-v2-v22-revision

[A.Z.]

A VNA would be nice, but a directional wattmeter would be cheaper 

https://www.tindie.com/products/hcxqsgroup/nanovna-v2-v22-revision

Well, a VNA would be nice and offers quite a lot of flexibility, but then a simple SWR bridge like this https://www.kitsandparts.com/bridge.php will cost just $12 and do its job, then there are commercial and cheap analog meters which one can buy at around $20 or so, again, a VNA will give much more, but a simple SWR meter will fit the bill, if wanted one may then also add a simple grid-dip meter (e.g. http://sm0vpo.altervista.org/use/gdo.htm and http://sm0vpo.altervista.org/use/gdo2.htm)  which, when it comes to RF is kinda like a "swiss army knife"

[cdev]

Thats a good option, for measuring SWR and a good thing to build and own, no doubt about it. It also depends on the parts you have. many people already have the parts they need. So its a good project.

But if one wants to save time, and get a big jump on the knowledge one likely wants if you are building antennas, If the goal is tuning antennas, (a directional coupler and a passive wattmeter iare going to require a transmitter, for one thing, and a license and knowlege to use it.

 So, if somebody doesnt have transmitter, or if it only produces very small signals, like most test equipment, not even enough to deflect a wattmeter , you're out of luck.

A small VNA is really the best tool, it seems to me, for tuning antennas. It can go out to where the antenna is.  For somebody like me who is mostly into building very small antennas for receiving, its invaluable.

But it is a different animal.  Its the magic of electronics that they are finally affordable. In a few years we'll be used to it, but for right now its just magical to be able to do what they do, for so little money.

[radiolistener]

Three 

1. End fed random wire
2. End fed half wave
3. End fed longwire

Four

4. Beverage antenna (traveling wave long wire)

This is long wire which is loaded on the end, so there is no reflection and standing wave in the wire.

There is animation from wiki which illustrate how it works in receive mode:

[A.Z.]

Four

4. Beverage antenna (traveling wave long wire)

Well, I thought we were dealing with transmitting antenna, while the beverage is a receive-only one ... given that someone doesn't want to transmit into it to heath the worms

[A.Z.]

Thats a good option, for measuring SWR and a good thing to build and own, no doubt about it. It also depends on the parts you have. many people already have the parts they need. So its a good project.

And at the same time, helps newbies to learn a bit more

So, if somebody doesnt have transmitter, or if it only produces very small signals, like most test equipment, not even enough to deflect a wattmeter , you're out of luck.

I was referring to the current discussion and the 1W transmitter should have enough "juice" to deflect the meter

A small VNA is really the best tool, it seems to me, for tuning antennas. It can go out to where the antenna is.  For somebody like me who is mostly into building very small antennas for receiving, its invaluable.

Agreed, but I already wrote that; a VNA is a useful and flexible tool, but I still believe that a beginner should learn how to walk first, then he may learn how to run

[radiolistener]

Well, I thought we were dealing with transmitting antenna, while the beverage is a receive-only one ... given that someone doesn't want to transmit into it to heath the worms

Why receive only? You can use it the same for transmission. It works for transmission. The problem with Beverage antenna is that it has a lot of loss on the load at the end of wire... But if you use very-very long Beverage it will be more effective

For example Beverage antenna was used for transmission here: http://www.antentop.org/008/files/ua3znw008.pdf

Results of the Beverage: Well, what is possible to say about the Beverage? Certainly, we had mentioned the small efficiency of the Beverage at transmitting mode at low HF- bands 160 and 80 (and sometimes 40-m) meters. But on the upper HF- bands 30- 10 meters the Beverage worked very well. Sometimes the Beverage worked better the double squares for 20-10-m. Certainly, it is only subjective opinion of the members of our expedition. All members the pedition were agreed, that the Beverage should be used at next pedttions.

I didn't tested, but at a glance Beverage antenna with length of about 5-7 wavelength should have the same or even better transmission efficiency than half wavelength dipole.

For 14 MHz, 100-200 meters Beverage antenna should works good enough, may be even better than half wavelength dipole, because Beverage antenna has better directivity...

[A.Z.]

Why receive only? You can use it the same for transmission. It works for transmission. The problem with Beverage antenna is that it has a lot of loss on the load at the end of wire... But if you use very-very long Beverage it will be more effective

You'll have to use a veeery long wire and, even then, for transmission it will be highly inefficient, but again, if you want to waste your TX RF heating the worms, fine with me, but I'd rather prefer radiating it in a more efficient manner