Topband: Suggestions for a tower?

[Edward via Topband]

Nicely put, Tom!

> On Apr 24, 2014, at 13:28, "Tom W8JI" <w8ji at w8ji.com> wrote:
> 
> The best antenna is always the one that makes us feel good, no matter how the antenna really works.
> 
> The problems with most of the suggestions are:
> 
> 1.) most are anecdotal "feelings", where there were no lengthy blind A-B tests against a known good reference antenna
> 
> 2.) different paths and locations produce different results
> 
> 3.) installations are often cluttered with random things that interact with antennas. Even 400-500 feet is fairly close spacing for antennas on 160
> 
> Without a series of blind A-B tests against a known *good* antenna over a period of time, it is all just feelings. I went through all the grief of installing a 300ft plus tall tower because I remembered how well a dipole 300ft high worked. I can't get someone to use a dipole on that tower once they use a tall vertical with a good ground system. I can't get someone to use the tall vertical once they use a four square. Going back over my logs 30+ years ago, I realize the high dipole wasn't actually that good in Ohio. I just remembered it better than it was, like a 14-15 second car that I thought was a rocket ship.
> 
> Someplace below the high dipole's performance come the delta loops and sloppers.
> 
> Of course this can be different for different regional locations. Not only does the quality of the installation affect opinions, so does the mental attitude of the operator and the world location.
> 
> All that said and done, there are very few properly installed 160 meter verticals that won't work well, and there are darned few horizontals that will work better than good verticals, when looked at over a long period of time. I can't even imagine trying to predict results or give advice when a wire is stuck in between a bunch of random things, like conductive guylines and other antennas.
> 
> 73 Tom 
> _________________
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