[BC] Isotron AM Antennas

[Paul B. Walker, Jr.]

Scott,

I've looked at the Isotron before for several applications, including 
use for a Class D AM to have a second (night) tower site much closer 
to it's population center along with Part 15 Broadcasting and Pirate 
broadcasting (the later being for friends in other countries).

I think, from what limited knowledge I have, that the Isotron would 
be good in an Emergency if you couldn't do anything else. It can only 
handle up to 300 Watts and it won't be as efficent as even a long 
wire. So in a pinch, i think it would be a QUICK fix for a few days.

If you're looking at this for it's cost factor, why don't you look at 
a long wire? I know a long wire may be a little more expensive to do, 
and require slightly more real estate, but (again, from my limited 
knowledge) it would be a better choice. I know a 50,000 Watt 2 tower 
Directional High Dial Daytimer in the Southeast US that has a 
longwire running from about the mid point of a cell phone and police 
communications/ham raido tower in their back parking lot to a fence 
fed by an old tube1000 Watt unit.

You'd probably be able to run more power using a long wire then the Isotron.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you get what you pay 
for, and if you're going to invest money in a backup, you want to 
spend a little more money to do it right and reliably....what good 
will a backup do you if it doesn't work or harms your equipment? 
Plus, you may save money in the beginning, but if something goes 
wrong down the line, you end up spending more money and in the long 
run, don't save anything.

Paul B. Walker, Jr.

From: <mailto:wmroradio at bellsouth.net>wmroradio at bellsouth.net

I've been reading up on the Isotron Antenna's that are tuned to the 
AM Commerical Band. A week and one-half ago, we had a bad storm come 
through the Nashville area and did some damage to my 3 wire, folded 
unipole on my tower. During the repairs, my engineer, Dale Howard, 
found other problems with my tower as well.

Looking at this Isotron Antenna, this seems to be the answer for a 
"temporary antenna" while your main antenna is being repaired. I know 
coverage would be limited and the bandwidth probably terrible, but my 
question is using this with a solid state transmitter like the BE-1A 
be o.k. in an emergency situation?