[CQ-Contest] Verticals on the beach (AGAIN)

[Mike Smith VE9AA]

Thanks for the comments thus far guys.  I am alittle surprised I did not
receive more, but there were a couple private ones that commented EXACTLY on
what I was looking for.  Special thanks to Dennis W1UE for providing me with
an excellent example.  First bit salt water, then land.  The low band signal
levels from W1KM are well known.  

 

Perhaps I should've really posted this to TOWERTALK, but I am contest
oriented and that's the guys I probably want to hear from that often do many
A/B comparisons and probably care more about what works and what doesn't
than perhaps a casual DXer would.

 

Others have said just put up an antenna and see.  Well...to recap, if I
owned the land I would (!)..but we're prospective buyers, and this is all
heavily treed vacant land belonging to someone else.

So I cannot even operate there nor drive to the shoreline with my mobile
setup, hi !

 

.that's why I am looking for evidence, (even anecdotal reports) of what a
short (750-1200') saltwater takeoff (then land in the desired direction) for
a VERTICAL would be like.  I would locate it AS CLOSE to the high water mark
as possible.

 

If there are any more comments, I'd love to hear them.

 

Cheers, 

 

Mike VE9AA, VE1TTT , VO1TTT, VO2DX

Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB

 

From: Mike Smith VE9AA [mailto:ve9aa at nbnet.nb.ca] 
Sent: August 12, 2015 5:19 PM
To: 'cq-contest at contesting.com'
Subject: Verticals on the beach (AGAIN)

 

As we continue to look for land around the Maritimes for a small weekend
cottage we occasionally come upon a location that has shorefront on
saltwater, which really is not completely open water all the way to EU or
USA, so it's not ideal.  The south coasts of VO1, VY2, VE9 and VE1 all kinda
point S/SE

 

I have found a couple with a clear shot to the Caribbean or Africa, but with
so few contest stations there, it's really not very important, except
perhaps for that rare LP to JA...

 

A few spots have open salt water towards EU of around 1000', before it hits
land again (opposite side of the harbour) then gently sloping up past that.
(0-100/200 feet)

 

So my question is really, does 1000' of salt water make any difference at
all, or  not enough to make any difference and the 200' hills on the other
side of the harbour would be more hindrance than the salt water would be
helping?

 

There must be stations all over the world with a short salt water takeoff
who could comment?

 

Has anyone done any A/B comparisons or proof at all?

 

I have read N6LF's and K2KW's and most related stuff on the Internet, but it
generally references DXpeditions in the Pacific or Caribbean with completely
open water as far as the eye can see.  I am just wanting to know about a
1000' salt water runway, then low land again.

 

Thanks, 

 

Mike VE9AA/VE1TTT/VO1TTT/VO2DX

 

Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB