TopBand: W3LPL 4-Square vs Beverages

[sears@rell.com]

     Rich, the only part of your story that confused me was:
     
     
     "The NW vertical almost always outperformed the 4-Square to JA on transmit 
     and receive."

     Does Frank also have a single Vertical that he uses to the NW which 
     outperforms the 4-square on TX and RX? That sounds too good to be true.
     
     Peter
     
     ______________________________ Reply Separator 
     _________________________________
     Subject: TopBand: W3LPL 4-Square vs Beverages
Author:  dz@VOA.GOV (Dick Zwirko) at internet
Date:    10/21/97 5:13 PM


Regarding the W3LPL 4-Square vs Beverage question asked by Larry, N9DX, 
let me put in my 2 cents worth of comments.  When Frank asked me if I 
would join his team to operate the 160 Meter position in the '96/97 CQWW 
and ARRL DX Contests, I was given the opportunity of experiencing his 160 
Meter antenna farm first hand.  Having only one 160M antenna (78'vert) at 
the K1HTV home WTH, it was great to have so many different transmit and
receive antennas available. I recall quite vividly comparing Franks beverages 
against the new 4-Square for the first time last year. It was under battle 
conditions in CQWW Phone contest.  On the first night, the 4-Square received 
as well as, or better than the Beverages toward Europe when the QRN was low.  
When called by ZD8Z at Jim's sunrise saturday morning, it was the 4-Square 
that heard him the best.  However by Saturday evening, when the QRN level 
rose, many QSOs would have been lost without the beverages, especially towards 
Europe.  During the CQWW CW weekend, at our sunrise we managed to work VK6 
(think it was VK6HD) using the NW beverage to receive. He was very weak on 
the beverage but inaudible on the 4-Square even with a relatively low QRN level.
The NW vertical almost always outperformed the 4-Square to JA on transmit 
and receive. However the West & NW Beverages USUALLY were the best receive 
antennas in those directions.  Having Beverage antennas separated from the 
transmit antennas by 1000 feet allowed us to listen reasonably well on the 
lower part of the band while transmitting 20-40 KHz higher, a real advantage 
while searching for new mults.
     
As I found out by experience over the last 4 DX contests at W3LPL, each 
direction has its optimum antennas.  However, the time of day, path, takeoff 
angle, QRN, etc. will dictate which is the best.   As Frank says "A Ham can 
never have too many antennas" and I wholeheartedly agree.
     
73 & CU on 160M in the DX Contest(s) 
Rich - K1HTV
dz@voa.gov
     
--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/topband.html 
Submissions:              topband@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  topband-REQUEST@contesting.com 
Problems:                 owner-topband@contesting.com

--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/topband.html
Submissions:              topband@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  topband-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-topband@contesting.com