Get the apex up as far as possible, feed it in one of the corners, put at
least 5KW into it and you'll be loud everywhere.
Bob
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Axelrod" <bill@axelrods.org>
To: "Richards" <jruing@ameritech.net>
Cc: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 3:12 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Delta Loop compared to Dipole (actual
experience)(Richards)
> And what a fun conundrum. I am wrestling with some of the same questions
> as
> I plan my retirement QTH and antenna farm.
>
> I suggest there a couple of questions you need to ask and answer before
> you
> can make your decisions. The primary question is "What do you want to do
> with your new antenna?" DX? Local ragchewing? Traffic nets? Domestic
> contests? DX Contests? Or do you want a compromise antenna that will do
> well enough across the board. Each choice of application will lead you
> down a different path. The best 80 meter antenna for ragchewing with
> other
> USA hams is a very different antenna than the best antenna for 80 meter
> DXing. Is your dream antenna directional or omni-directional? On and on.
>
> Then there is the question "How good is good enough"? If your goal is
> contesting is your goal to have a competitive station or just enough to
> have
> some fun? For 80 and 160 meters, have you considered the expense and
> real-estate for receiving antennae?
>
> For me, my dream 160 and 80 meter antennas are a couple of 4-squares.
> But,
> for my uses, that solution is beyond good enough. I'd probably settle for
> a
> pair of phased verticals to get me some gain and directivity at a price
> that
> I'm comfortable with and in the real estate I expect to have.
>
> Not to make this hard, but once you answer the "what do I want to be able
> to
> do" question, you will be in a good position to parse the wide range of
> answers you got, make your decisions, and get your antennas up and on the
> air.
>
> Good luck and 73... Bill K3WA
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Richards" <jruing@ameritech.net>
> To: "Bill Stacy" <wstacy@wildblue.net>
> Cc: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 2:52 PM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Delta Loop compared to Dipole (actual experience)
> (Richards)
>
>
>> OK -- I will have to widen my research to include both the sky wire loop
>> and the delta loop - and they are clearly different animals with
>> different
>> feeding and grazing behaviors.
>>
>> Great fun.
>>
>> Thanks for the feed back.
>>
>> My Antenna Conundrum = I have been researching low band antennas,
>> including towers, verticals, and wire antenna designs. My conundrum is
>> there is no reliable source of information comparing the efficiency and
>> effectiveness of the different antenna designs with each others. The
>> reviews in QST say whether or not the antenna is a good one, but rarely
>> compare it with the performance of anything other than the proverbial
>> hypothetical dipole in free space. Looking on eHam.net is not
>> particularly useful or reliable, as the typical ham typically recommends
>> whatever he has used, and has limited experience in using several
>> different types of antennas (like one recommending boxers or briefs
>> depending on what HE likes to wear), and says he "can work whomever he
>> hears" - but when no one can tell whether he is hearing all who might be
>> heard on a better antenna...
>>
>> Some people suggest an inverted L design, others recommend a horizontal
>> sky loop, others recommend a vertical Delta loop, still others suggest a
>> 40 ft aluminum mono pole like what DX Engineering and Force-12 sell,
>> while others say I need a HyGain Hy-Tower, and yet others suggest I put
>> up a 50 or 60 foot tower, and hang long dipoles or loops off it, or
>> suggest I load up the tower, itself, as a low band antenna. Some guys
>> tell me to give up at my location. Thus, I don't know how to evaluate
>> and compare all these different ideas in order to select what might work
>> best at my location.
>>
>> And, I understand it is difficult to select a single design for all
>> locations, and understand all the variables that arise in different
>> locations -- which, of course, makes it all the more difficult. Also,
>> there is a paucity of good antenna holding trees at my location, so I
>> will must install some sort of mast or pole to sufficiently elevate any
>> antenna off the ground. Otherwise, I may be compelled to install a 45
>> foot aluminum pole, and tune it for the low bands - but, again, my
>> original conundrum remains: how do I compare its efficiency with some
>> other design, perhaps a sky or delta loop, which might perform better,
>> perhaps for much less expense.
>>
>> I am fortunate in that I saved up for this over the past 30 years while
>> working. So, money is not an object, other than I don't like spending
>> more money that is necessary to accomplish the task, but I don't mind
>> spending real money to get real results. I just don't know how to
>> select from all the alternatives.
>>
>> To compound my conundrum, most hams I talk to locally, and even many
>> store salesmen, tend to suggest some cheap, inexpensive shortcut
>> solution that will, purportedly, save me a lot of money. But, again,
>> I am looking for good results, not to just save money, and although I
>> don't want to over spend money on a commercial solution if a home brew,
>> inexpensive method works better, I am not averse to spending a penny to
>> get it right. Yet, most advice is about how I can save a bunch of
>> money - not on what might work best at my location.
>>
>> The more I research, the more overwhelmed I become. I need a reliable
>> methodology for selecting among all the alternatives.
>>
>> Consequently, I have no idea what I I can install this summer and use
>> this winter after the snow falls. But time is wasting away, and I
>> worry I will not be find a solution in time to get it installed and
>> operational.
>>
>> And I figure I cannot be the only guy facing this dilemma....
>>
>> What is a mother to do?
>>
>> Anyway, thanks for considering my plight. Any ideas are welcome on or
>> off list. I do not wish to overstay my welcome. I know this reflector
>> is about towers, but I fear if I install a big tower, it will hold a a
>> beam for 20 m and up, and I will still have the same conundrum as to
>> what to do on the low bands. What do guys with towers and small
>> backyards do to play on the low bands?
>>
>> Thanks loads and happy trails to all.
>>
>> =================== Richards - K8JHR ====================
>>
>>
>> /// Richards ///
>> ===================================================
>>
>> Bill Stacy wrote:
>>>
>>> The ARRL Antenna Book does NOT discuss delta loops. There is, however,
>>> a
>>> good discussion in ON4UN's Low Band DXing book.
>>>
>>> The delta is hard to beat for DX, especially when one considers its
>>> relatively low cost.
>>
>> ===================================================
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>>
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