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Re: [TowerTalk] Experience with phased verticals on 40m?

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Experience with phased verticals on 40m?
From: Adrian Rees <rees.a@btconnect.com>
Reply-to: rees.a@btconnect.com
Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2012 16:48:21 +0100
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Hi all
I have recently built a 4 Square, completely home brew, including phase unit. In terms of construction it was pretty straight foreword, using ON4UN's book and the TK5EP Website (4 Square page).

The phase unit is identical to the Comtek unit, and uses the "Collins method". This method is very forgiving and a very reproducible design.

In comparison to a sloping dipole, a single quarter wave vertical, a full size diamond loop and the 40 2 CD I once had, it has some advantages and disadvantages.

Located in Europe, the ability to reduce Eu noise by 10 - 20dB at night is excellent, and a big improvement over the other antennas. In terms of DX working it really gets going when stations are 2,000 miles plus away. The reason for both of these features is simply radiation angle. The radiation angle of a 4 Square can be much better than a 2 element Yagi at times. The better each & radial system you put in, the better the 4 Square works. But you need to be careful, as I found that the 4 Square has a narrow bandwidth offering maximum gain, so whilst you think its working great, it isn't. Move 20KHz up the band, and it will really sing. This is the effects of ground & radials.

The 402CD I had, was up at 50 feet, and put a huge signal into the rest of Europe from here in Wales, but it was poor on DX. The reason is again take off angle.

So I think the situation can be summed up by considering what sort of ground you have, the position & terrain of your site, out to say 10 maybe 20 wavelengths away, and then model the take off angles.Try a quarter wave vertical with say 4 elevated radials, then lower the radials to the ground, and you'll see the effects of ground & radials upon bandwidth & take off angles. You'll then figure out if a 4 Square will work at your location.

A 2 Element beam at my location didn't cut it,for a number of reasons, apart from performance (maintenance, high winds, getting it high enough etc).

Happy to discuss further, or if you want details on how to build the phase unit.

73

Adrian

MW1LCR / GW9X







On 29/09/2012 20:42, John Frazier wrote:
Anyone have real-world experience with phased verticals on 40m?  Actual 
comparisons to high dipole, etc would be greatly appreciated.

Bottom line...was it worth the effort?

73 John W4II
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