Greg points out why it is a good idea to have BOTH high and low antennas.
Don't forget, the SECOND LOBE for high band antennas
at 110 to 150 ft falls within the angles supported by the ionsophere
at high sunspot activity levels.
The second lobe from 10-20M antennas at 70 to 90 ft is NOT supported
by the ionosphere. That is why it is especially important to have a
lower antenna to cover those higher angles, especially for people who
cannot put up 150 ft towers.
Tom N4KG
On Fri, 1 Feb 2002 "Greg Gobleman" <k9zm@frontiernet.net> writes:
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dick Pechie - KB1H" <rpechie@snet.net>
> snip:
> > I believe the very high antennas of KC1XX and W3LPL can
> > open a band early but after the initial opening these two guys are
> in the
> > pack with the rest of us. Operating skill can overtake allot of
> mediocrity
> > very easily.
> >
> There are times when the only antenna to have is big and tall. I
> was
> sitting here playing around in a ARRL DX test a couple years ago.
> Sun came
> up and I was hearing a few EU on 20m but not near as many or as loud
> as the
> previous day. I was going work a bunch on 10 & 15, or so I thought.
> I have
> the Telrex TB6EM at 62 or so feet pointed at EU and not a peep on
> either
> band. I can hear guys in AZ and NM working them, as well as east
> coast and
> southern US. I can't hear any EU. I come across Jerry, WB9Z and
> he's a CQ
> machine. I heard him work a couple of guys in Europe, but even he
> is mostly
> working South America. His rate is way off but I can only hear half
> of what
> he is working and none of the Europeans. He was using a C31XR at I
> think
> double my height or better and maybe some other antennas too. I
> checked one
> of the forecast sites and it showed a huge polar absorption area had
> slid
> down over the central US and killed the bands for us. Jerry is not
> that far
> from me, and there simply wasn't many spots coming out of 9/0 land
> for EU
> that day. Only guys with height were working Europeans from here.
> Not very
> scientific, but I had a lot of time to observe.
>
> Maybe the guys with height are in the pack with us at the peak of a
> band
> opening, but time and again I hear them carrying on conversations
> thru the
> lids that I could never do, even with my Henry 8877. I suspect that
> part of
> that reason is that they have multiple antennas and are using the
> one that
> they think is best at the time. I have experienced moments of true
> pleasure
> when I was antenna challenged and my Gap Titan vertical one called
> thru the
> big guns. But that was rare. I also would not characterize KC1XX
> and W3LPL
> as mediocre operators.
>
> 73
> Greg K9ZM
>
>
>
>
>
________________________________________________________________________
> Where do you get ICE bandpass filters & beverage matching boxes?
> The
> same place that pays for the hosting of this list: The eHam Store.
> Order online at http://store.eham.net.
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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