Curtain arrays are available in many shapes and sizes. The 21DBi gain
model is just one example (as a comparison with the super long yagi). They
are basically a bunch of stacked (vertically and horizontally) dipoles in
front of a reflector screen.
A 3DB beamwidth curtain, depending on the antenna location, can cover quite
a chunk of Europe. I don't think a contest station would be handicapped,
in that regard, by using such an antenna system. These arrays can also
slew the beam as much as +/- 30°, for the elusive DX. Of course for the
complete super contest set up you would need separate curtains for Asia,
South America etc.
On the other hand, one could use the curtain array just as a receive
antenna - great F/B and side-to-side ratios!;)
-Zyg- AF4MP
At 09:33 PM 1/12/03 -0500, Pete Smith wrote:
>And one of the big problems with such antennas for contest use is that the
>3 degree bandwidth is too narrow for optimum coverage in Europe, where you
>need to "bathe" as many potential contacts with as much of your signal as
>possible. Hence stacks......
>
>Sorry -- I meant 3-DB bandwidth...
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