Hello everyone,
Conditions were very good this weekend, I never did the calling since I just
wanted to test de two antennas, but I was able to work 14 countries and 14
US states running only 100 watts.
Countries worked:
D4 D4B
DL DL3TD
HA HA3O
HK HK1XX
KP2 KP2ZZ
OH OH1MA
PJ2 PJ2T
PJ7 PJ5NA
S5 S50A
SP SN7Q
UA2 RK2FWA
UR UU7J
VP2E VP2E
YV YV5MBX
States worked:
KC1XX NH
W3TS PA
K3WW PA
K8GL MI
W8RT MI
N2NT NJ
K9NR IL
W4MYA VA
KT3Y VA
KU1CW MO
K9DX IL
K0EJ TN
K9OM FL
K5GO AR
N3OC MD
N8VW OH
W2GD NJ
W4ZV NC
NO2R NJ
NQ4I GA
W6NWS NC
As for the antenna test conducted here are the first results.
The results were very interesting, specially because for the test I only ran
100 watts; the 1/2 was quitter than the 1/4 in all directions and signal
strength was about 3 dB stronger on AR that the 1/4 wave, and that is not
bad, after all 3 dB is twice the signal, hence weak stations, specially
Europeans, were heard better; but TX was a totally different story, here the
1/4 outperformed the 1/2 in all directions, working Europe with only a 100W
on contest night when EU activity is higher and therefore so is their local
QRM is not easy, I was not able to work any EU while using the 1/2 wave for
TX, on the other hand I worked the EUs fairly easy with the 1/4 wave, I also
worked D4B in the big pile up that he had at 02:00 UTC the first night after
my 5th call, he never came back to me with the 1/2.
I don't have a full conclusion yet, but I assume that the 1/4 is having less
ground induced losses and a lower radiation angle that the 1/2 despites the
fact that both antennas are slopers and that 1/2 wave dipoles are supposed
to have less ground losses that 1/4 waves.000
Regarding the 1/2 wave, the building that is supporting it is under
construction and the electrical service hasn't been installed yet, so
electrically speaking the structure is very quiet, that may accounts for the
lower noise level, but I'm not sure about this, it may also be that the 1/2
wave is acting more in the horizontal plane and therefore picking up less
man made noise.
I'm taking the 1/2 down tomorrow and I will try something else for the 1/2
wave, maybe a slightly different orientation and perhaps some ground redial
in may back yard, for the SSB contest ahead I will be fully active, that
means that I will be calling CQ contest, also I will be QRO so we will see
the results with the changes and comparing the 1/2 wave against the 1/4
wave.
Thanks to all the stations worked for their patience picking up my call
running low power, you guys all have very good ears, congratulations.
73/DX Jose M. Valdes R. (Joe) YV5LIX
eQSL.cc Advisory Board Member
QSL manager EA7FTR
SYSOP YV5LIX DX Cluster
telnet://yv5lix.org.ve:7300
VHF Packed: 145.430 YV5LIX
http://www.yv5lix.org.ve
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