[CQ-Contest] Feeding an 80m Delta Loop

[Tom]

> 0.82, so I will take that into account. A couple of comments suggested
> that a delta loop is a major disappointment as compared to other antennas.
> The only other antenna that I have is an 80m vee at 100feet. Am I going to
> waste my time? The apex will be at 90feet.


Assuming neither antenna is built or installed wrong, maximum possible gain
of full wave loop over a dipole is just over 1dB.

The effective height of a loop is centered between the heights of the
current maximums.

So, in reality, there isn't much difference except physical construction
unless something is done wrong. When there isn't a consistent difference one
way or another, you can expect a variety of "love-hate" opinions.

How well your delta loop works will depend more on what is around it and how
your soil is (since you are using vertical polarization) than anything else,
unless you do something wrong. A less-than-one dB-gain certainly will not be
magic.

The real advantage is you can have a vertical radiator without a ground
system. The disadvantage is verticals generally have high ground loss
because of Brewster effects, and you cannot control those effects.