Off-Center-Fed (OCF) Antenna FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q:How many Watts can I feed to the 300 Watt antenna?
Up to 300 Watts (SWR 2:1 or better) in any mode to be safe, the internal components of the balun are not designed for anything over 300 Watts. We offer a 3,000 Watt model for those that need more power.

Q:Can the OCF antenna be used for portable operations?
The Wire on the OCF is 12 guage, 65 strands of tinned copper. It is very flexible and is really ideal for erecting in the field. Since no tuning, pruning or modification is required, the OCF can be in operation in a matter of minutes.

Q:Which direction does the OCF radiate?
Patterns vary depending on the band/frequency, configuration and height above ground. Our best guess is that the OCF is much like a dipole (radiates off the sides). Good reception is a key to being successful with your contacts. The balun has confounded all the modeling programs we have tried. If any of our users would like to share their knowledge we will be glad to post it here.

Q:Why is it important to not use a tuner?
Not using a tuner of any kind removes the possibility of attenuating weak signals you are trying to receive. Using a tuner of any kind to manage SWR can kill or further weaken these already weak signals. Using top quality coax is also important. If you can't hear them, you can't work them...

Using a tuner can mask a poor SWR of an antenna and consequently overheat a balun or matching transformer. Always check SWR without a tuner in the line first. Remember, a tuner changes nothing at the antenna, it only makes the transceiver happy.

Q:How can I test/troubleshoot my Buckmaster OCF Antenna?
Normally our antenna should give you years of trouble-free service. The biggest problems we see are stretching the wire or overheating the balun by operating too much wattage or with high SWRs. These items are not covered under warranty. Other than that, common problems include the coax cable, antenna switches, or metal objects in the surrounding environment. We've even seen certain trees cause SWR issues.

You can troubleshoot your OCF antenna by substituting a dummy load for the OCF and checking SWR with your transmitter or an antenna analyser. Many times it is a coaxial connector or an antenna switch that causes the problem. It is normal for the antenna to test as a short using an ordinary DC Ohmmeter; it is not a short at radio frequencies.

Q:I cannot solve my antenna problem, how do I return it to Buckmaster?
If you can't solve the problem we can test your Buckmaster OCF antenna. We charge $25 plus return UPS Ground shipping to verify the correct length and then put your antenna up on our antenna range and electronically sweep the HF frequency range from 1.8 mHz to 54 mHz. We will send you a print out of what we find. The charge will be waived if you are within the one-year warranty period and we find your antenna is defective. This is a rare occurrence though, so be sure you've done all the testing you can before sending it back.

Before sending your antenna back to us, please fill out this form, print it, and include the form with your antenna. Our address is at the bottom of this page. Include any SWR information on what you are finding on each band and any other comments you care to share. If you return an antenna to us without this form, we will wait until we hear from you to do anything with it. We've gotten antennas before with no name or information. Once again, here is the link to the form you must include: http://hamcall.net/rma.html

Buckmaster Antennas
6196 Jefferson Highway
Mineral, Virginia 23117
USA

540:894-5777
800:282-5628 (Orders)
540:894-9141 (Fax)
Email: info@buck.com