Topband: BEVERAGES OVER GOOD GROUND

[Mr Magoo]

The soil at my home QTH is classified as "very good" which makes my Beverages during spring, summer and fall work at a level far below what I consider optimum.  However, as soon as the great freeze occurs in December (usually) the beverages begin to perform as expected.  As long as the ground stays frozen, with or without snow cover, my antennas work like champs.  However, if we have a "January thaw" and the lower pasture over which my Beverages run floods, I notice a distinct degradation in performance.  I have been able to sort of quantify this situation over the past several years using "regulars" on the band for very rough day to day comparison.

To overcome this situation I have installed a full-wave horizontal loop as well as  other ground-independent loop antennas/arrays.  And, as the man says, "ya can never have too many RX antennas"!

Bill VE3CSK