TopBand: Antennas, Angles

[K3BU@aol.com]

<<de W8JI:
When I compared a dipole at 160 feet to a 3/8 wl vertical with a GOOD
ground system, the dipole NEVER beat the vertical at any time. Most
contacts reported the vertical two S units or more above the  
dipole. The dipole was solidly better within the state of Georgia. 
>>

<<de W4ZV: 
I had somewhat different results in Colorado which indicated high angles after
sunrise.
1.  Before sunrise (~1 hour to 10 minutes before), vertical was usually
stronger by 1-2 S units.
2.  At sunrise (~10 minutes before to 5 minutes after), both antennas
were about equal.
3.  After sunrise (~5 minutes to 40 minutes after), dipole was usually
stronger by 1-2 S units.
>>

"Thank you for your support Bill!" After W8JI results I started to wonder what
was wrong with my findings. 
  From brief description of Tom's experiments, I just wonder if Inv Vee was
too high (I usually had it between 40 - 80 ft), what time of the
sonrise/sunset (season?) were reports compared, was reporting done only by RX
or also TX. Appears to me that when high angle prop is happening, it's benefit
is more pronounced on transmit. 
   Also Bill, K0HA comments about "beaming wrong way" are valid. Year ago I
was told that many US stations were calling me that I didn't answer, while I
was using 4sq. and "slow-switchable" beverages beaming Eu. So in the last CQ
WW I had two rigs, one with 4 sq and NE to S beverages on right ear, another
rig with Inv Vee and NW, N, SW beverages on left ear. At the times when band
was open "both ways" I was trasmitting on both antennas, and it sure helped,
picked up quite a few stations that were not audible on the other setup. (What
a weird stereo effect! Sometimes I could hear stations on "stereo", when they
couldn't be copied on each channel alone!)
   It also appears that propagation is enhanced on the path where there is
salt water in between. Caribbeans on 160 at VE1ZZ are unbelievably loud
compare to my NJ QTH. On the other hand, rocky area, ground is like anechoic
chamber, signals die there, sucked in by the rocks.
   73  Yuri  K3BU, VE3BMV maybe from VO1 in WW?

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