[CQ-Contest] 160 Receiving Antennas

[J F]

Hi Duncan and all...

I've used my top loaded 80M verticals for Rx on 160
and have been quite pleased. The S/N ratio is
certainly better that on my top loaded 160M vertical.
No preamp was needed, nor did I match them for 160.
Optimized, probably not, effective without any doubt!

My location is relatively quiet, but I'm in a less
than optimum area for a vertical (poor soil in a
valley).

I think phasing short verticals is a great idea, if
you need the F/B. There are plenty of schemes online
that are easily built.

Most of us probably are unable to put up a respectable
beverage for 160, in any direction much less a good
direction. I'd try a low dipole too, but size is an
issue unless I bend it in several spots or load it.

I'm planning on trying a K9AY this Fall, for
directivity primarily...

Cheers,
Julius
n2wn

--- D LINDSAY ESVLC EXP LINER MGR
<DLindsay.vlc at mscspain.com> wrote:

> Very timely thread....
> 
> I will be doing CQWW SSB this year from a beachside
> location in EA6
> (Formentera island) and am still wondering what band
> to do, bearing in
> mind I will only have a few hours to set up shop
> before sundown. The
> bands I was weighing up were 40 and 80, the plan
> being to put our new
> "KISS" phased verticals through their paces. 
> 
> In my troubled sleep last night I started mixing up
> my plans for a new
> 160m mobile antenna with the spiderpoles I plan to
> buy for another
> project, and came up with what looks like an
> oversized mobile antenna
> for 160m. In my imagination it consists of an 18m
> spiderpole with wire
> for a radiator, a loading coil about 6m from the
> base, and a cap hat
> just above the coil. It would sit on the beachfront
> with two or three
> resonant and elevated radials. The thing that
> appeals to me about the
> antenna is that it is only one antenna to erect
> instead of two for the
> phased verticals, and I don't have to lug a load of
> phasing lines and
> stubs along with me. (OK, I could do the phased
> vertical thing for 160
> too but I think that's maybe a bit OTT). 
> 
> Now I am awake, I am trying to see the disadvantages
> of this system, but
> as I plough through the morning mail, all I see that
> Dale reckons a
> short loaded vertical would do good for RX too.... I
> also see that Alex
> K2BB is going vertical to the seaside too....
> 
> Is there something I'm missing here or is this just
> maybe a good idea???
> And if it were to be a good idea, how might I go
> about calculating the
> coil I need to wind?
> 
> 73 de Duncan EA5ON