[SECC] Stupid Question - Where to point Beam?

[Dan/W4NTI]

Follow the sun is effective, as you said.  Remember that in the
summer/spring months propagation will get wierd and will do a lot of strange
things.

I also suggest a non directional (as compared to a beam) antenna, vertical
or horizontal.  Fills in the holes nicely.

Dan/W4NTI

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jay Pryor" <jpryor at arches.uga.edu>
To: "Bill Coleman" <aa4lr at arrl.net>; <secc at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2003 1:03 PM
Subject: Re: [SECC] Stupid Question - Where to point Beam?


> Bill,
>
> I will be interested in learning what other folks who know a whole lot
more
> than me have to say about your question, but I'd say that you should start
> in the obvious directions.  That is, toward EU in the morning of a DX
> contest, toward JA around 4 p.m.  And for a domestic contest I usually go
> with approximately 330 degrees.  If you don't hear what you expect to
hear,
> rotate.  If you hear stations you can work, stop and work 'em, as you did
> the second night.  I must admit that I seldom try the odd directions and
> perhaps my scores reflect that.  But I have never worked a single band
> contest either (other than 160).
>
> As a low power contester I do a great deal of S&P and there was a time I
> worried about pointing the beam toward every station I wanted to work.
I'm
> not so concerned any more.  I find that if the other station has a pretty
> decent signal they will likely hear you when you call.  The exception is
> the rare mult who has attracted a pileup.  In that case it is likely worth
> the extra time to swing the beam around.
>
> Now let's hear from those of you who know more about this.
>
> 73,
>
> Jay/K4OGG
>
> At 08:16 AM 4/1/2003, Bill Coleman wrote:
>
> >OK, I'm going to ask what may seem if not stupid, but an obvious
> >question. After over six years contesting with single-element antennas,
> >now that I have a beam, I don't always know where to turn it.
> >
> >This weekend, on Sunday afternoon, it seemed like signals were coming
> >from all directions at once on 10m. Even stations that were out west
> >seemed strongest beaming south east.
> >
> >I also had the experience in the 10m contest where I was beaming west
> >toward JA. Once the JAs disappeared, the band seemed so quiet as to be
> >closed. The first night, I went QRT. The second night, I pointed the beam
> >north and ran stations for over 2 hours.
> >
> >So, where do you point your beam over the weekend? And if you S & P, how
> >do you avoid turning the beam for each QSO (other than be like NQ4I and
> >have antennas pointing in three directions at once)?
> >
> >Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
> >Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
> >             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901
> >
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