<head><style>body{font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:9pt;background-color: #ffffff;color: black;}</style><style></style></head><body id="compText">Let's face it, there is no competition where it all comes down to the operator. WRTC tries but, as some of you can well testify, not all stations are created equal even if the antennas and power output are pretty much the same. Even with those variations, WRTC probably came pretty close to a level playing field. Certainly closer than NAQP or SS.<br><br>Now, to NAQP. Many of the big stations have stacked beams. For higher angle signals, they can just use the lower antenna by itself and forget the higher ones, except maybe for backscatter. (Good point there, Jeff). I suspect that a number of them also have relatively low dipoles they can use for high angle signals. I remember in SS a number of years ago, there was a rush to put up vertically stacked dipoles or delta loops just to get a higher angle for domestic contests. A combination of high and low angle antennas makes a versatile station. I certainly would not want to run NAQP or SS with just a TH-7 at 160'.<br><br>I suspect that a two element yagi on 40 is a big difference maker, even in domestic contests. I used to have one in CT at 70' and it made a huge difference over either my vertical or a dipole. Part of it is receiving since you could cut down some of the QRM by changing direction but some was just a stronger signal. At 50-80', I would bet there is still a lot of high angle lobes on a 40m beam that come into play.<br><br>On 80, where most do not have big antennas, a high dipole seems very well suited. You might not have the biggest signal into W6 but I bet it plays into W9 and W5. <br><br>Now, I come to my dilema. In this QTH, I currently have just a Butternut vertical mounted five feet above ground. As soon as the snakes go to sleep for the winter, I will raise it to 10' and do a better job with the placement of the tuned radials. I suspect that a dipole will outperform the vertical for domestic contests so I may try and sneak one or two up in the woods and pretend they are low hanging vines or something. Maybe by next year, I can give a better answer altho I suspect I will still think a vertical is not the best antenna for domestic contesting. <br><br>That brings me to power. With my current inefficient vertical, it makes a big difference if I run a kw or 100 watts. I am actually reasonably loud with a kw but many will not hear me barefoot and when it comes to keeping a run freq, forget it. Running a kw gives me parity with some of the LP guys with big antennas. And that is what the ERP numbers will show. In SS, I will run a kw just to get above the noise level. In NAQP, I struggle but i guess that is what I get for choosing (I think my wife chose the location and I chose to come with her) this beautiful QTH. I know I certainly did not choose to have these snakes running around looking like non-elevated radials and providing more of a hazard than a sand trap on a par 3.<br><br>Will I win SS or NAQP? Very unlikely. Will I have some fun? Certainly. Would I win SS or NAQP if I operated from a station designed for a domestic contest? Probably not altho I would have fun trying. At least, now, I have a good excuse for not winning and that is important psychologically. So, if you hear a weak K2 calling you in NAQP or SS, don't turn you big 3 element SteppIR up north; look towards SC. And, remember, I need SC as a mult too.<br><br>73,<br><br>Dennis, K2SX<br><br><br><br><br><blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 255); padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 0px;">-----Original Message-----
<br>From: ku8e <ku8e@bellsouth.net>
<br>Sent: Aug 21, 2007 9:02 PM
<br>To: secc@contesting.com
<br>Subject: [SECC] Fw: NAQP SSB KU8E Single Op HP
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</zzzbody></zzzmeta></zzzhead></zzzhtml></ku8e@bellsouth.net><div><font face="Arial" size="2">I have to disagree with you guys. The stations with
the big antenna farms have even more of an advantage when conditions are
marginal, like they have been</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">the last couple years or so. It might be true that
these stations have some lower antennas for domestic contests but it makes a big
difference having a bunch of yagis high and clear in the air. Even running
100 watts these stations can work people on backscatter on the higher bands
(20-15-10 meters) That is very difficult to do running an antenna like a dipole
or some multiband antenna like a center fed zepp at maybe 30-50 feet
high. Plus many of these big stations all have a yagi or even stacked yagis on
40 meters and maybe some directional wire array on 80 meters and a good antenna
on 160.</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Someone with a TH-6 at 60 ft and maybe a 2 el 40
above that can fare better against these guys. Those of us like N4GG and myself
that are running wire antennas cannot. Even though Hal usually does good in the
NAQP, it is not his</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">hardware but his ability as a good SO2R operator
that gets him near the top ten. If he had an opportunity to operate at a good
SO2R station with good antennas on 20/15/10 I bet he could either win or make
the top ten.</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">I guess can't see the reasoning you all have that
limiting everyone to running 100 watts levels the playing field. Scott, KB4KBS
is running 100 watts to mobile whips inside his house. He is just happy to work
someone. I do better than Scott running the same 100 watts because my
wire antennas</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">are up in the clear. If you compare my station to a
W9RE, who has multiple yagis on 40-10 meters plus an 80 meter beam and a good
antenna it isn't even close to being even. Do you call this a level playing
field ? Your antennas make all the difference in the world. Even if Scott ran a
kW to his mobile whips he still wouldn't be as loud as me running 100 watts
because of his inefficient antennas.</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"> Any additional argurments that disagree
with my view are welcomed. </font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Jeff KU8E</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div>
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