Topband: 1/8 wave vertical

[Jim Brown]

>The human ear cannot tell a 1dB difference, 

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Mistatement of reality. It depends completely on the conditions 
under which the 1 dB change is made. A 1 dB change in the total 
loudness of sound IS about what most listeners can identify as a 
change. BUT: take a signal, mix it with noise or other sounds at 
nearly the same level, and a 1 dB change in the signal (while the 
noise stays constant) can be significant. 

I work in the world of pro audio, and have mixed LOTS of live music. 
The changes I'll make to a mix are often a dB or two, and they're 
the difference between being musically "right" or "wrong." 

Putting another face on it -- W8JI and K9DX have such bodacious 
signals that another dB or so may not be a big deal for them. But 
for those of us with more modest stations, I'm going to fight for 
every half dB!

73,

Jim Brown K9YC