And what a fun conundrum. I am wrestling with some of the same questions as
I plan my retirement QTH and antenna farm.
I suggest there a couple of questions you need to ask and answer before you
can make your decisions. The primary question is "What do you want to do
with your new antenna?" DX? Local ragchewing? Traffic nets? Domestic
contests? DX Contests? Or do you want a compromise antenna that will do
well enough across the board. Each choice of application will lead you
down a different path. The best 80 meter antenna for ragchewing with other
USA hams is a very different antenna than the best antenna for 80 meter
DXing. Is your dream antenna directional or omni-directional? On and on.
Then there is the question "How good is good enough"? If your goal is
contesting is your goal to have a competitive station or just enough to have
some fun? For 80 and 160 meters, have you considered the expense and
real-estate for receiving antennae?
For me, my dream 160 and 80 meter antennas are a couple of 4-squares. But,
for my uses, that solution is beyond good enough. I'd probably settle for a
pair of phased verticals to get me some gain and directivity at a price that
I'm comfortable with and in the real estate I expect to have.
Not to make this hard, but once you answer the "what do I want to be able to
do" question, you will be in a good position to parse the wide range of
answers you got, make your decisions, and get your antennas up and on the
air.
Good luck and 73... Bill K3WA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richards" <jruing@ameritech.net>
To: "Bill Stacy" <wstacy@wildblue.net>
Cc: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 2:52 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Delta Loop compared to Dipole (actual experience)
(Richards)
> OK -- I will have to widen my research to include both the sky wire loop
> and the delta loop - and they are clearly different animals with different
> feeding and grazing behaviors.
>
> Great fun.
>
> Thanks for the feed back.
>
> My Antenna Conundrum = I have been researching low band antennas,
> including towers, verticals, and wire antenna designs. My conundrum is
> there is no reliable source of information comparing the efficiency and
> effectiveness of the different antenna designs with each others. The
> reviews in QST say whether or not the antenna is a good one, but rarely
> compare it with the performance of anything other than the proverbial
> hypothetical dipole in free space. Looking on eHam.net is not
> particularly useful or reliable, as the typical ham typically recommends
> whatever he has used, and has limited experience in using several
> different types of antennas (like one recommending boxers or briefs
> depending on what HE likes to wear), and says he "can work whomever he
> hears" - but when no one can tell whether he is hearing all who might be
> heard on a better antenna...
>
> Some people suggest an inverted L design, others recommend a horizontal
> sky loop, others recommend a vertical Delta loop, still others suggest a
> 40 ft aluminum mono pole like what DX Engineering and Force-12 sell,
> while others say I need a HyGain Hy-Tower, and yet others suggest I put
> up a 50 or 60 foot tower, and hang long dipoles or loops off it, or
> suggest I load up the tower, itself, as a low band antenna. Some guys
> tell me to give up at my location. Thus, I don't know how to evaluate
> and compare all these different ideas in order to select what might work
> best at my location.
>
> And, I understand it is difficult to select a single design for all
> locations, and understand all the variables that arise in different
> locations -- which, of course, makes it all the more difficult. Also,
> there is a paucity of good antenna holding trees at my location, so I
> will must install some sort of mast or pole to sufficiently elevate any
> antenna off the ground. Otherwise, I may be compelled to install a 45
> foot aluminum pole, and tune it for the low bands - but, again, my
> original conundrum remains: how do I compare its efficiency with some
> other design, perhaps a sky or delta loop, which might perform better,
> perhaps for much less expense.
>
> I am fortunate in that I saved up for this over the past 30 years while
> working. So, money is not an object, other than I don't like spending
> more money that is necessary to accomplish the task, but I don't mind
> spending real money to get real results. I just don't know how to
> select from all the alternatives.
>
> To compound my conundrum, most hams I talk to locally, and even many
> store salesmen, tend to suggest some cheap, inexpensive shortcut
> solution that will, purportedly, save me a lot of money. But, again,
> I am looking for good results, not to just save money, and although I
> don't want to over spend money on a commercial solution if a home brew,
> inexpensive method works better, I am not averse to spending a penny to
> get it right. Yet, most advice is about how I can save a bunch of
> money - not on what might work best at my location.
>
> The more I research, the more overwhelmed I become. I need a reliable
> methodology for selecting among all the alternatives.
>
> Consequently, I have no idea what I I can install this summer and use
> this winter after the snow falls. But time is wasting away, and I
> worry I will not be find a solution in time to get it installed and
> operational.
>
> And I figure I cannot be the only guy facing this dilemma....
>
> What is a mother to do?
>
> Anyway, thanks for considering my plight. Any ideas are welcome on or
> off list. I do not wish to overstay my welcome. I know this reflector
> is about towers, but I fear if I install a big tower, it will hold a a
> beam for 20 m and up, and I will still have the same conundrum as to
> what to do on the low bands. What do guys with towers and small
> backyards do to play on the low bands?
>
> Thanks loads and happy trails to all.
>
> =================== Richards - K8JHR ====================
>
>
> /// Richards ///
> ===================================================
>
> Bill Stacy wrote:
>>
>> The ARRL Antenna Book does NOT discuss delta loops. There is, however, a
>> good discussion in ON4UN's Low Band DXing book.
>>
>> The delta is hard to beat for DX, especially when one considers its
>> relatively low cost.
>
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