Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] 160m 8-circle BSEF array

To: "RICHARD BOYD" <ke3q@msn.com>, <TowerTalk@contesting.com>,"SJ W3TX" <superberthaguy@adelphia.net>,"Pete Smith" <n4zr@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] 160m 8-circle BSEF array
From: "Tom Rauch" <w8ji@contesting.com>
Reply-to: Tom Rauch <w8ji@contesting.com>
Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 15:05:54 -0400
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
> For contest applications, 2 or 4 dB are indeed, night and
day.  I perhaps
> should have mentioned that K4JA's 9-circle was on 80m,
where the additional
> couple of dB meant a couple of layers of workable DX, as
well as better
> receive performance due to greater directivity.

I'm not sure how much difference it makes on transmitting.
99% of the transmitting here in 160 contests is done on an
omni-directional antenna that is 6-7dB down from my four
square and we never notice. As a matter of fact the loss of
signal in other directions is a hardship, allowing other
people to encroach and ruin receiving. All that aside, I'm
impressed with what can be worked on a dipole 1/8th wl above
earth.

I'm sure when signal are right on the very edge of being
readable one dB makes a difference. But that wouldn't be a
run, it would be eking out another few contacts out of every
three hundred or so. In a whole contest with 1500 QSO's,
only a dozen or less are marginal copy.

I've always wanted to do a valid experiment during a contest
and see what happens to rates and multipliers with a few dB
loss in signal strength. I'll bet not as much as people
think.

73 Tom

_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather 
Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions 
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>