[Skimmertalk] Antennas for multi-band Skimmer installations

[Wes Cosand]

This morning I read Pete's article in the July/August NCJ, "CW Skimmer --
One Year Later".  This week I have been following the positive comments on
the QS1R reflector about alpha testing of Alex's multi band Skimmer Server
software.  From his article it is obvious that Pete believes multi-band
Skimmer installations will become more numerous among contestors and Alex's
newest efforts appear to make the computational aspect of that simpler.

But what do we use for antennas?  If these SDRs require an impedance close
to 50 ohms for reasonable sensitivity, how do we do that for six or seven
bands without a lot of complexity?  I understand that both N4ZR and K4TD are
using active antennas from a couple different suppliers.  From the Clifton
Laboratories website it looks like Jack is putting a lot of work into active
antenna development.  Is this the way to go?  Will we be able to get the
same SNR as resonant antennas like a multiband vertical?

I am having great fun with a 40/80 fan dipole a few hundred feet from my TX
antennas and the multiband SoftRock.  But Alex's work has me considering a
more capable system.

Forgive the naivete of some of my questions.

Wes, WZ7I