Hi Rick,
I got a bunch of opinions a while ago on this reflector as to
which vertical
to use and on the basis of the replies bought a Butternut
9 band vertical that I mounted 8 feet high at the base
with 2 quarter wave elevated radials on each band.
I've had the vertical in use now for almost a year I think and
have some conclusions. I have a tribander for 10-20 and inverted
vees for 80 and 40, all at 40 feet. On the bands I can compare the
vertical to the low horizontal antennas, the horizontals are MUCH
better from 10 to 40 meters with both increased signal strength
(2 to 3 S units) and MUCH lower noise (2 to 3 S units also).
On 80 meters, the vertical is sometimes equal to the vee in
signal strength but always much noisier.
On 30 and 17 meters, I don't have horizontals to compare it to
(something I hope to change soon) but I NEVER hear the cluster
spots on these bands. On 160, also no comparison but it
kind of works on this band, although I have to call a lot
and can't hear any DX except Carib.
These observations were made on both local and distant stations.
Interestingly enough, I used a Butternut before from a gulf
coast location and was quite pleased with it. But the ground
conditions were much better, this was during the sunspot high,
and I did not have horizontal antennas to compare it to.
But in my current desert location, my conclusion is a couple
bucks worth of horizontal wire beats a $400 vertical hands down.
73, Ed
--
Ed Jensen, K5ED, El Paso, TX (ae110@rgfn.epcc.edu)
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