Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2005 20:36:11 -0500
From: "Henry G. Elwell, Jr." <elwell@salisbury.net>
To: TOPBAND@contesting.com
Subject: 1/2 wave antennas, etc.
Just want to add encouragement to 1/2 wave antenna users, from a comparison
viewpoint. My original 160m antenna was a shunt fed 80 foot tower with 36
1/4 wave radials. It gave me my DXCC, and worked to my satisfaction. It
was necessary to abandon its use after awhile. Not wanting to go to the
trouble of relaying a similar radial field at another location on my
property, I opted for a 1/2 wave antenna, called the Lazy U, an English
invention. The middle of the wire was suspended in an 80 foot tree,
with top and bottom horizontal wires being in the same vertical plane,
theoretically canceling their radiation. A circular horizontal radiation
pattern was generated. The lower horizontal run was about 4-5 feet above
the ground providing effective ground energy absorption ( not desired),
depending on the ground type. From an operating standpoint, however, I
find that I can still work DX as I did with the 1/4 wave vertical and
radials, and that's all I want. I worked all the European, African, and
Caribbean stations that I called, and had a great time for about five hours
from 0100-0400Z Friday and Saturday nights.
Some of you have asked about a contest program for the Stew-Perry
contest, and I am remiss in not giving this information in time for its
use. I have been using the SuperDuper contest program by EI5DI for the
past ten or so years for every contest that comes along including the
Stew-Perry one. It is an extremely effective and easy to use one. I have
just used it for the CQWW 160m contest with excellent result. Paul, EI5DI
is now offering it free for both his Windows and DOS version. Try his web
page at <http://www.ei5di.com/>http://www.ei5di.com/ for more
information on it.
--
Henry G. Elwell, Jr. - N4UH
Snowflakes are such fragile things, but look what happens when they stick
together.
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