TopBand: Antenna test

[Tom Rauch]

MCI Internet is messing up mail again, I tried to post this 
yesterday. I hope this makes it:

Thank's Bill for the relay from YB0ARA. At 1030Z I could plainly hear 
him calling about S5-6 through S9 QRN but only copied a partial call.

I'm testing antennas in the mornings with VK's and ZL's, comparing a
dipole (broadside east-west) at 260 feet height with the 4 square 
(110 ft in-line spacing with 120/240 degree phasing) and an omni- 
3/8 wl vertical. The four square points due southwest or northwest, 
and the dipole feedline and the 260 ft tower located 500 feet due 
west of the omni- and 4 square puts a null due wes. This null located 
due west hurts the verticals about 8 dB.

(I detuned the tower a bit better yesterday evening, and the west 
null affecting the vertical antennas is about 2-3 dB deep now) 

I'd appreciate reports from distant stations (even via e-mail) of 
signal changes when I send 1, 2, or 3. Be sure to mention date and 
time, because I change antennas to different switch position numbers 
once in a while (and sometimes skip one antenna and do two numbers on 
the same antenna) to do a control check.

Please e-mail me directly with reports during a 1, 2 ,3 switch beyond
2000 miles or so west. If any Europeans or Africans would like to try
my sunset (0100Z), I'd like to do some sunset antenna and propagation 
tests also.

73, Tom W8JI
w8ji.tom@MCIONE.com

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