Topband: Flag antenna Gain:

[w2pm at aol.com]

---Original Message-----
From: wb6rse1 at mac.com
To: Top Band List List <Topband at contesting.com>
Cc: n9bx at mchsi.com
Sent: Thu, 26 Feb 2009 5:24 pm
Subject: Re: Topband: Flag antenna Gain:



On Feb 26, 2009, at 6:20 AM, n9bx at mchsi.com wrote:

Is this flag really playing like it should, or am I expecting too much
out of it?

____________

It is likely doing exactly what it should do since the back is on EU
from your QTH. Rather than thinking of it as a "gain" antenna, it
might be more useful to consider its directivity. You're trying to
minimize signals in other than the favored direction.

I have used several diamonds and a flag on my roof and can attest to
improved readably in the favored direction, and, unfortunately,
interaction with nearby resonant antennas. I use a single binocular
core to match to 50 ohm coax with a preamp at the rig. Compared to my
shunt fed tower and a coax RX loop, these large loops are very quiet.
The matching transformer is critical. It's the improved S/N that's the
difference here vs any "gain."



W2PM Replies

Negative 37 db is a very smalll output and off the back it's 20db worse 
so I agree it's probably
working the way it should.  I use several here, even 1/2 size models 
with less output. They do need
a preamp on 160 although of very good nights running "barefoot" will 
work. If you have too much
local crud noise a preamp won't help but if you have that type of 
situation the Flag wont be
too effective either - depending on the level of the local crud noise.