Well, the weekend after my first message below I managed to gather together
most of the parts for this project. That Saturday I got into the shallow
ravine and walked off enough with a hundred foot tape measure to figure out
where the 290 foot mark was, it led into a tangle of large (2-foot plus)
diameter long-leaf pines blown down by Katrina 5 years ago.
It was a bit of a flashback, as they are all facing west. It reminded me
that the morning had strong winds out of the west, and we lost a few
trees... then the eye passed over and when the other eye-wall hit all those
trees that had spent 5 or 6 hours being pushed to the east were hit with a
sudden blow of 100+ mph pushing them to the west... I heard 6 or more big
trees go within 30 seconds, and now I was looking at some of them.
Anyways, that Sunday it rained. The next time I was free was this past
weekend, so I finished the beverage by early afternoon. It wound up running
about 50 feet straight at around 30 degrees, then another 70 feet or so at
around 60 degrees, then back to around 30 degrees for the rest. The dog-leg
was needed to avoid my transmit antennas as much as possible.
Once it was in place I connected it up to the Orion. The rig went from S0
with no antenna to S3 with the beverage connected. An A/B comparison with
the K9AY loops showed the loops with the built-in pre-amp off were also at
the S3 level. So, it seems the beverage, even at the 89-meter length out of
ON4UN's book, has sufficient output.
The past two nights I've had a little radio time, and been able to do some
A/B tests. Europe seems so far to be about the same between the loops and
the beverage. I need to try it out some more, a few minutes listening isn't
enough of a test.
Still, it is obvious that the short beverage does work. Thanks for the
advice and encouragement, lots of good ideas and help here!
On Sat, Jan 22, 2011 at 3:11 PM, Chuck Chandler <ws1l@comcast.net> wrote:
> The discussion has got me interested in trying one out. I thought my lot
> was too small, but there is a ravine into the neighbors land that might let
> me put out around 300 feet or so heading towards Europe. It would run from
> one corner of my yard all the way across, and into the woods beyond my
> property. The neighbor is cool, so permission should be possible.
>
> I know I'll need some RG-6, and the DX Engineering feed system seems
> reasonable. Just add some wire (already on hand), a ground rod and figure
> out some supports. It would need to be temporary so I could take it up when
> the grass starts to grow again, and so I could try other directions as need
> might arise.
>
> I guess my real question is if a short beverage is worth the effort. Right
> now I am using crossed K9AY loops for recieve, and a 65 foot tall Inverted-L
> for transmit. I seem to get out a bit better than I hear, though this
> winter I've been too busy for much DX.
>
>
> 73 de Chuck, WS1L
>
> Oak Grove, MS - EM51
> ws1l@comcast.net
> _______________________________________________
> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
>
--
73 de Chuck, WS1L
Oak Grove, MS - EM51
ws1l@comcast.net
_______________________________________________
UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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