Guys,
Verticals radiate poorly in all directions. However, they radiate!!! It
gets you on the air to have FUN! Key word is "FUN". In defense of GAP,
I've owned a an "Eagle" for many years. I've moved a half dozen times in
the past few years with nothing but a GAP to play with. I've taken it apart
and moved it coast-to-coast three times. It works! A couple pieces broke
on one move. Stopped by the booth at Dayton (this antenna was four years
old) and they gave me the spare parts I needed to rebuild. I've had nothing
but great customer service. Do I expect pileup busting performance...no.
Does it get me on the air...you bet.
Attitude is everything!
Dr. Dave
KD4HXT
-----Original Message-----
From: Joe L Blackwell <aa4nn@juno.com>
To: towertalk@contesting.com <towertalk@contesting.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Friday, October 08, 1999 2:49 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] GAP Titan
>
>Dear OM Phil, K5PC
>Sorry you are so misinformed. The GAP verttical is not a vertical per
>se,
>it is a vertical dipole! Adding radials to a GAP is the worse thing you
>can
>do. The recommended wires are a counterpoise for the lower bands, like
>40, 80 and 160. These counterpoise wires are not radials ! Get it !
>Having said that, I tried a GAP, hoping to optimize it for 80 meters and
>the
>entire setup stunk. Nuff said. GAP has its place, but it is not a
>vertical that
>requires radials. Get that through all your heads when you complain
>about
>the GAP.
>Okay, Phil, so your friend (K2RM) said things kept falling off the GAP.
>My oh
>My, there aren't too many things that can fall off a GAP, a coupla
>resonant
>arms which are fastened to the basic vertical via plastic connectors.
>Maybe
>your friend, K2RM, could enlighten us with a more first hand experience.
>No?
>Putting comments like yours on the reflector, when you do not have first
>hand
>knowledge just leads to speculation and bias as regards particular
>antennas.
>
>73, de Joe AA4NN
>aa4nn@juno.com
>
>On Fri, 8 Oct 1999 10:49:36 -0500 "Phil Clements" <philk5pc@tyler.net>
>writes:
>>
>> > I haven't owned a GAP, but a good friend, K2RM, had one for a
>> couple of
>> > years. Rarely two months went by when some physical part didn't
>> fall off
>> > into his back yard...literally! He tried everything including
>> lightly
>> > guying the antenna with nylon cord. (He is NOT in a windy area
>> and the
>> > antenna was protected by a stockade fence around the back yard.)
>> I think
>> > GAP replaced parts until the warranty period ran out.
>> >
>> > I was with him when he talked with the owner of GAP at Dayton, two
>> separate
>> > years. The guy basically told him, "That's too bad." He didn't
>> offer to
>> > replace his obviously bad antenna or extend the warranty or
>> provide
>> > additional replacement parts, nor did he even express regrets for
>> the
>> > on-going problems.
>> >
>> > Bob finally replaced the GAP with another vertical...an R5, I
>> think. On
>> > our weekly schedule, his 40M signal from Ft. Worth, TX to me in
>> Ruidoso, NM
>> > increased quite dramatically. He hasn't had a single problem with
>> the new
>> > antenna.
>> >
>> > Based on Bob's experiences, and equally on the attitude I saw from
>> the GAP
>> > guy, I wouldn't have one as a gift.
>> >
>> > Ed, W5EJ
>> >
>> > >Rod - I'm not sure "exactly" why this group "hates" the GAP
>> Titan. I have
>> > one
>> > >an I am very pleased with it.
>>
>> Maybe it could be their trying to re-invent the way vertical
>> antennas work
>> and their deceptive ads(that prey upon unknowing new hams) that we
>> don't
>> like.
>>
>> If the instruction book on any vertical antenna does not say "put
>> down as many
>> radials as you can, as long as you can; chances are you are dealing
>> with more
>> "snake oil," "magic," and witchcraft than you are antenna theory.
>>
>> All vertical antennas require an extensive ground system to prevent
>> RF energy
>> from warming worms instead of being reflected up and away.
>>
>> I know, I know...do not bother telling how you worked 333 countries
>> with no
>> radials. I have worked several countries in my distant past with
>> door bell
>> wire clipped to a rain gutter. We are talking efficiency here; or,
>> for those
>> of you in Rio Linda, "more bang for the buck."
>>
>> (((73)))
>> Phil, K5PC
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> FAQ on WWW:
>> http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
>> Submissions: towertalk@contesting.com
>> Administrative requests: towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
>> Problems: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
>> Search: http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm
>>
>
>Vy 73, de Joe AA4NN
>Eastern Top Band ARC, Carolina DX Assn, Carolina CW Ops,
>Fairfield County Contesters, Ten-Tec only, CW only.
>eeetet ee
>
>--
>FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
>Submissions: towertalk@contesting.com
>Administrative requests: towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
>Problems: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
>Search: http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm
>
>
--
FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/towertalkfaq.html
Submissions: towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests: towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
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