Topband: REVERSE BEACON

[Larry Gauthier (K8UT)]

Last month, W8NN and I delivered a presentation to the SouthEast Michigan DX 
Association (SEMDXA) titled "Using the RBN as an Antenna Performance Tool." 
You can download the presentation from:
http://www.k8ut.com/tiki-list_file_gallery.php?galleryId=2

Among the topics is a description of our testing protocol, which we found 
required strict compliance to permit valid comparison of antenna A to 
antenna B to antenna C.

Not included in the results are more recent tests that three of us, K8YTO, 
VE3CFK, K8UT have been performing on a variety of 160 meter antennas 
(inverted-L, sloper, Battle Creek special, vertical ground plane, 1/2 wave 
dipole). Although the results could be described as interesting, the poor 
band conditions on 160 only delivered spots from local stations - most 
within 500 miles, only one from as far away as 1200 miles. Since the three 
of us are more interested in 160m DX, we don't think we encountered the 
right conditions yet to allow us to classify anything as good, bad, or ugly. 
Especially on 160 meters, results varied widely from day-to-day; even from 
hour-to-hour. You may find the same is true by looking back through the 
history of spots for your old antenna as you compare it to your new antenna.

My Advice (FWIW) -- You can: predict antenna performance with a modeling 
tool; measure actual performance under laboratory conditions; or try to 
gauge "in the wild" performance  with something like the RBN. Proceed 
carefully if you decide to use the latter to make antenna decisions.

-larry (K8UT)
-----Original Message----- 
From: wa3mej at comcast.net
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 11:16 PM
To: topband at contesting.com
Subject: Topband: REVERSE BEACON



I am planning a new 160m transmit antenna to be erected in the next few 
weeks.  Before I install it however I want to get a good history (over a few 
weeks) of spots from the reverse beacon network.  My problem is that instead 
of going to WWW.DXMAPS.COM   I would like to get the spots from the source. 
Is this possible?  Is there a utility/program out there that will allow me 
to plug my call into it and collect all of my spots for me... displaying 
them on my computer ready to be archived/plotted.. whatever?



My new antenna will be a 75 ft Vertical elevated about 8 ft above the ground 
to include 20 1/4 wave radials.  This should be superior to my current 
Inverted L with 4 radials 6 ft above the ground that the deer keep getting 
into.



WA3MEJ


Long Live Seal Team VI

http://www.qsl.net/wa3mej/index.htm
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