[RTTY] RESULTS: Off Topic - Need Advice on Receiving Antenna for 80M

[Don Hill AA5AU]

Wow, I sure got a lot of replies already on this situation.  I've probably
learned more about low band antennas in one afternoon than I did the
previous 30 years as a ham. hi

>From reading off the Internet and from the replies I received, I can see
that a beverage antenna will probably not work because I wouldn't be
able to direct it toward EU because the direction is wrong.

Several great ideas including the EWE and Pennant antennas which I am
going to investigate further.  I suppose if I want to get serious about low
band antennas I need to buy the Low Band DX'ing book by ON4UN as
several of you suggested.

Thanks for all the replies.  I'll let you know with what I come up with
for the contest.

73, Don AA5AU

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hill, Don" <dhill@cprk.com>
To: "RTTY Reflector (E-mail)" <rtty@contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 2:17 PM
Subject: [RTTY] Off Topic - Need Advice on Receiving Antenna for 80M


> Sorry if this is a little off-topic, but for this year's CQWW RTTY DX
> Contest,
> I would like to use a better receiving antenna for 80M.
> 
> I have received several reports from stations in EU that I have a decent
> 80M signal when I am low power (approx. 80W output to an inverted V with
> apex at 60 ft.)  So my little homebrew wire antenna seems to transmit
> fine, but it does not receive well.
> 
> Behind my house, someone cleared out all the trees in a very big stretch
> of land (probably about 2 miles by 1/2" mile swath).  I think one day they
> will
> build a road back there, but for now it's nothing but swamp land with weeds
> 4' high in mud and swamp water.
> 
> I've read about beverage antennas and still don't understand them, but I
> was wondering if I ran say, 500' of wire out into this swamp and somehow
> elevated it 3 or 4' off the ground, would it be a very good receive antenna
> for 80 meters?
> 
> Could I just run some RG8 coax to edge of my land, terminate the shield
> to a ground rod and connect the center conductor to the 500' of wire, would
> that work OK?
> 
> The problem I have is that I only want to make one trip, and one trip only,
> into that swamp.  Luckily I have my waders out for next weekend's
> opening of Teal Season, but with the possibilities of snakes and alligators
> in the lurks, I dread going out there at all.
> 
> Any suggestions?
> 
> Thanks, Don AA5AU
> 
> 
> 
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