Topband: Pennant performance observations/issue

[W2pm at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/19/2007 6:47:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time,  
k4kyv at hotmail.com writes:

Has  anyone been able to use these antennas get good nulls for relatively 
short  skip distances (150-1000 miles) on 160? What about 80/75?

I have had  some good results with directional receiving antennas for local 
groundwave  signals such as noise sources and AM broadcast stations, but have 
never  found anything that was particularly useful for nulling out skywave  
signals at relatively close distances, to improve readability of a station  
(local or DX) that I am trying to hear through crowded band  conditions.

I have used shielded loops and beverages, but never tried  pennants or flags. 
Would they be worth the effort?

Don  k4kvy



Don - all the Flags and Pennant's I've used, even 1/2 sized and smaller  
version, show very deep nulls and good compliance with the Eznec cardiodal  
patterns.  When AA1K in Delaware about 160 miles south is on in the early  AM - he 
is 20 over on the Inverted L, S3 on the NNE Pennant, and S7 on the SSE  one 
(without the preamp on).  Similar results with KV4FZ who is about 1,200  miles 
SSE.  The F/B performance is superb, and the rear minor lobe can be  moved 
around and adjusted by playing with the terminating resistor value - altho  it is 
NOT worth the effort.  In addition I placed my NNE pennant such that  the rear 
null faces a power line - which is normally fairly quiet but still good  for 
S3 noise on a good nite - S0 with the Pennant null facing it.
 
In my view these are good alternatives to the superior Beverages offering  
fall smaller footprint, rotability, good (not as good tho) as Beverages.  I  
also find my exceptionally useful for local QSO noise reduction and DX'ing on 80  
- 30 meters.  On 40 and 30 particularly useful is snapping around fat SW BC  
or Utility stations.
 
73 Pete W2PM



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