The Performakov
I’m still enthralled with the Performer template design: 1 radiator and 2 elevated (tuned) radials. For this build, I decided to combine the Performer and the Rybakov to produce The Performakov!
The Build
At its heart, this is really just the Rybakov with two equal length elevated ground radials. Each wire is 25’/7.6m. One vertical. Two horizontal. The box in the center houses a 4:1 UnUn made from a 140-43 core with 10 bifiliar turns of enamel wire. The UnUn is super easy. Wrap the two strands around the core 10 times, twist & solder one of each colour. One wire goes to the antenna, the other one goes to ground. For an UnUn, the joined wires go to the coax center. (If you’re making a Balun, they go the shield. Don’t screw this up!).
I used speaker wire that I had on hand (16awg I think). I wanted the main radiator to be a different colour just so it’s easier to see. I measured and cut each wire the same length. Though, I bet you could use one continuous 50’ piece for the ground radials and just peel back a chunk in the middle for UnUn hook up. I tied a knot in each wire for strain relief inside the little project box. I used a BNC connection.
When you get it done, it’s a very nice and compact antenna - especially if you use lighter wire like 26awg or something like that.
Testing
Because this is a random antenna, you need to use it with a tuner. With my LDG Z-11ProII I can tune 6m-80m with this antenna. Now just because you can, doesn’t mean you should - but you can do it. Realistically, this works very efficiently for 20m-6m. Mileage will vary on the lower bands. I built it and set it up in the backyard for initial testing. Tuner tuned everything no problem so I started hunting POTA using 20w on SSB. I made lots of contacts with good reports, even at lower power.
POTA KILO
After I built this antenna, I was needing 33 contacts to get the KILO award for CA-5082 The Trans Canada Trail. We have a chunk of the trail that runs through our town with lots of different access points. The flexibility of the Performakov made it a great choice because I had no idea what the bands were going to be like. I got all packed up and did a short hike to the activation spot. I deployed the Performakov with my DX-Commander mast and two plastic electric fence stakes to hold up the radials.
The Performakov really performed very well. I made 51 contacts for the activation in a very nice and omni-directional pattern. Even places that are normally difficult for me to get like Manitoba and Montana on 20m I was able to log.
Thanks to all the great hunters, I got the KILO award! Extra special shout out to Ray, KE7KE for being the 1,000th contact!
Conclusion
All in all, this is a really useful antenna. It’s simple to build and quick to deploy. It’s ultra versatile and efficient due to the elevated ground radials. I’m thinking we will build a heftier version of this for Field Day. Using our club tri-plexer, three stations can hammer away on this antenna all day long then switch to a loop or something else come evening for the low bands.
73 de VE5REV