Topband: H/V vs Time (The N2XE Beacon Tribune)

[dennis o'connor <k8do@mailblocks.com>]

On 80 meters I have a number of different antennas, widely separated, 
which allows me to experiment with confidence that I am hearing/seeing 
real differences, not just random coupling amongst the antennas... I 
have noticed clear differences in signal strength versus V / H 
polarization versus time this fall/winter season..
For instance, the 3 element, ground mounted, vertical array  hears the 
band opening into Europe a full hour sooner than the dipole at 140 
feet... Unfortunately, Europe can't hear me that early <sniffle, whine, 
whimper> and I get the entertainment of listening to W1/W2 land working 
them like popcorn popping...  Once we are well into grey line then the 
dipole comes to life with signals that are a good 1 to 2 S-units 
stronger (and much more at times) than the verticals... The downside is 
that the noise the dipole gathers is usually lots higher than the 
signals, so while the dipole transmits well, the end fire verticals 
hear better (ya, ya, ya... I know that's not what you read in the 
handbooks, but these arrays have significant f/b ratio knocking the 
noise down)...  When we are an hour or more into darkness and the band 
is as open as it's going to get, the vertical arrays outplay the dipole 
roughly 80% of the time... However, 20% of the time the high dipole has 
the last laugh...  And during CQWW SSB on 75 meters the dipole was the 
work horse making 90% of the Q's...  During CQWW CW on 80 meters it was 
exactly the opposite... <the dipole was retuned for the two contests>
And the Inverted Vee at 95 foot apex is a distant third place!

I only have the vertical on 160 so I can't give you differences there, 
but the two bands share a significant percentage of similarities...
FWIW

Denny - k8do

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