Topband: New 160M high performance receiving antenna at W3LPL

[Eric NO3M]

The method I have used is similar to what Tom details in some respects.  
The main RX is fixed in a prime direction, usually NE and later W.  
However, the sub-RX is typically on auto-scan between transmissions 
(controller detects PTT), hopping through antennas in a specific group, 
either beverage or 8-circle directions, with 700-800 ms pause per 
antenna.  The custom controllers I use allow me to select what antennas 
I want included in a scan sequence by manually selecting the antenna and 
tapping a "scan-select" toggle button.  It makes for a more efficient 
sweep of the compass, ie. usually skip N since most stations N of here 
are VE and heard just as well on some other antenna, sometimes other 
directions skipped based on time of night.

My controllers use an encoder for antenna selection, so it's like 
rotating a VFO knob.  A slight turn will stop scanning, and makes going 
backwards easy if something was heard and scanning overshoots.

One of the more useful features I added was "tracking".  When in 
tracking mode, the controller will force the opposite receiver to 
connect to an antenna in the same direction as the "tracked" receiver 
and continue to track direction as long as there is an available antenna 
in the same direction as the "tracked" RX selection.  For my station, 
that means beverage array in one ear and 8-circle in the other.  A good 
example would be hearing a weak QRP K9YC on the sub-RX while scanning 
through beverages.  Scanning might overshoot to NW bev, slight manual 
knob rotation counterclockwise stops scanning and goes back to W bev, 
single tap the sub-RX tracking button to force main-RX selection to W 
direction on the 8-circle array.  Now listening West in stereo 
diversity.  Couple more taps and back to original antenna in one ear and 
back to scanning in the other.

73 - Eric NO3M

On 2/5/2013 17:42, Tom W8JI wrote:
>> Out of curiosity... with so many narrow-pattern receive antenna 
>> configs, how do typical contest stations check different directions 
>> after a CQ? Frank, I still want to come visit your station during a 
>> test and see how it all works.
>>
>> Diversity and stereo headphones gets you to two different directions 
>> but I wonder if there's some more powerful technique.
>>
>
> Not from here, except having more ears on the ground with independent 
> controls. Each operator has two ears.
> I have switches that lock one ear in a prime direction like NE, and 
> the other ear can go some other direction (at some loss in really weak 
> signal copy).
>
> It is always a real problem remembering to use things at the max 
> (stereo and same direction with wide array separation) and to always 
> remember to change directions often. This is always a problem with 8 
> directions.
>
> http://www.w8ji.com/my_shack.htm
>
> Over the years, off and on, I have tried to use "auto scanners". My 
> first was around 1980, and I've tried off and on since, but it just 
> has not worked so well unless very few people are calling and those 
> that do call keep trying. By far the best system is just popping the 
> buttons around to likely directions, although I do have an idea to 
> double the odds of getting lucky. The problem is getting trained in 
> how to lock on a signal fast when it is heard.
>
> One real problem is that listening in multiple directions hurts the 
> copy of noise floor or weaker signals.  Stereo with widely separated 
> antennas is good for maybe 3-6 dB in perception of signals in noise if 
> the operator is trained to use stereo.
>
> Missing callers, unless the operator scans and the caller is 
> persistent, is inevitable.
>
> 73 Tom
>
>