Topband: Listening

[K9AY]

> > As a partial solution I am able to select more than one beverage at a
> time, and then "peal " them back if need be.
> > John K9DX
>
---------
>
> When I do that, all it does is move nulls around. Some stations vanish and
> others appear. This happens even when I combine at audio from two
receivers.
>
> The only way I can successfully listen in multiple directions is with one
> radio in each ear, and a different antenna on each radio. Of course this
> costs me a few dB in S/N ratio over everything in the same direction, even
> in stereo.
>
> Fisher W4AN normally does that here in contests, using a low directivity
> antenna in a general direction and a high directivity antenna towards DX,
> but never mixed. Always in separate ears. Mix them, and I still find deep
> nulls.
>
> 73 Tom
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You're both right.  John did say a "partial solution" and I'll bet he means
that some combinations of paralleled antennas work, and others do not.  I've
done this myself and found it useful.

Whether by design or serendipity, paralleled antennas can provide coverage
that is an improvement over a single antenna, or fill in coverage between
Beverage directions.  It's not an ideal solution, but if an operator
identifies how the various combinations work, it's another weapon in his/her
antenna arsenal.

73, Gary
K9AY