Topband: Vertcal over salt water de XE3/W0AH

[W0AH@aol.com]

I asked this question on Tower Talk, but the real antenna gurus seem to be on 
the topband reflector!
I'm operating XE3/W0AH north of Cancun October 24- 31 including the CQWW 
Phone.  I'll be using an old Hygain 18AVQ vertical on a dock about 10-20 feet 
out from shoreline (the Carribean) with two 25' lengths of 1" copper braid in 
the water for ground.  There is little tide, maybe 2 feet at most, and 
usually little surf because of Isla Mujeres about 8 miles to the east.
My question-  I can probably mount the vertical from about 2' to perhaps 10' 
above high tide.  Is higher better or worse?  
I am bringing some wire and also a base loading coil and will attempt to 
create some kind of inverted L (vertical part will probably only be about 
20') or may try to load the 18AVQ with the base coil.  Any ideas?  Is PVC 
pipe (or something else) available in Cancun strong enough for over 20' to 
stand erect?  I'm going to make some quad spreaders out of bamboo (local 
flora) so maybe I can get over 20' of bamboo in the air with wire taped to it.
Doug  W0AH


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