Topband: Boring report and broad band verticals

[Tree]

After hearing Europe for six consecutive nights, NOT hearing it is worth 
noting.  There was nothing coming through - not even on Spectran.  W1AW 
was about 30 db weaker than it has been during the past few weeks.  DF2PY
was not detectable at all.  

The band was dead.

A note to the broadband vertical thread.  In my experience with loading 
towers that I believe were very close to 1/4 wavelength in electrical
height, I have seen very broadband performance.  My current system allows
me to run full power all the way up to 2 MHz.  I am using a piece of RG8
as my gamma - running to the top of a 72 foot tower (with a couple of 
monobanders up on an 8 foot mast) and about 300 pf at the bottom.  I have
about 20 quarter wave radials and the vertical sits in the middle of my
80 meter 4 square ground system (12 radials/tower).  

So - I think YMWV (your mileage will vary) rule really applies.

I did have a half scale system that I used on 80 meters.  It wasn't as broad,
but I used a vacuum variable and could easily QSY between CW and SSB by 
adjusting the cap.

73 Tree N6TR
tree at kkn.net