Topband: high take-off angle

[Arthur Delibert]

In QST for September 1995, Brian Beezley, K6STI, had an article titled "A Receiving Antenna That Rejects Local Noise" and Ed Andress had a companion article, "A K6STI Low-Noise Receiving Antenna for 80 and 160 Meters."  This antenna, a horizontal square with a twist in the middle, has a very high-angle pattern.  It rejects local noise by having barely any of its pattern at low angles.  
 
Here's what Andress said: "I compared my DX reception with the local 160-meter Big Guns daily and found that I could copy all the signals they heard, but for a shorter time during the window."  In a sidebar, Keith Fowler, W6BCQ, reported that with the horizontal square, he was able to work C21/ZL1AMO; on his other antennas, he could hear only power-line noise.  My experience with this antenna, before I was licensed, was that I could hear audio from some Indonesian regional broadcasters that were only weak hetrodynes on other "low-noise" antennas.  
 
Beezley himself acknowledged that if you've got the space for it and there isn't a strong noise source right off the end, a long Beverage is a better choice.  And since July 2000, when K6SE wrote about flags and pennants, most people looking for a good low-band receiving antenna that will fit on limited real estate have used flags and pennants, and I think Beezley's antenna has been largely forgotten.  But his antenna clearly demonstrated that some good DX is possible with antennas that offer only a high-angle pattern.  
 
--Art Delibert, KB3FJO

 

> Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2011 17:15:02 +0200
> From: sm2ekm at bdtv.se
> To: topband at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: Topband: high take-off angle
> 
> This I have NEVER seen in SM2 land, the lower angle the
> better. Jim SM2EKM
> --------------------------
> On 2011-10-16 02:25, Bob Eldridge wrote:
> >> I dont understand the sudden urge or desire of some to suppress all
> >> high angle radiation from an inverted L. It is well established that
> >> even a low horizontal
> >> dipole can work amazing amounts of DX on 160 when conditions allow
> >> and
> >> having both possibilities present in the L is a benefit.
> >> Carl
> > Hear! Hear! Especially at or near SR and SS.
> > Bob VE7BS
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
> >
> 
> _______________________________________________
> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK