Topband: Recommended Antennas for 160M/80M Receiving

[D Rodman MD]

Just a few more observations with receive antennas.  This past year, I 
did a lecture at the DX club about low band receive antennas.  
Basically, I gave points for various characteristics of the antennas as 
I employ them at my QTH.  I compared the DX engineering circle 8 vs SAL 
vs Beverage vs K9AY.  Among the factors considered were cost, ease of 
construction, size, usefulness, ease of repair, signals.  The factors 
were based on my experience with them over the last years.  The 
discussion was not limited to 160m but this was factored in.  I added 
the numbers and made this part of the discussion.  What I learned and 
presented was as objective as I could be.  All things considered, the 
SAL-30 was the best performing system considering all factors.  If I had 
to pick one antenna for receive, that would be the one.  The circle 8 
was the most expensive, by far.  To be honest, mine is not optimized for 
160m but is set at a compromise radius for 80 and 160, the radiators are 
about 20' tall and I exchanged all the preamps for HiZ ones instead of 
the original DXE.  On 160m the coaxial bidirectional (900ft long) 
beverage provided the best signal strength into EU.  I did not find much 
difference between a K9AY and the SAL-20.  They all helped receive 
stations.  For the most part, I have Delta Loop antennas for transmit.  
They are very noisy.  So anything is better than them for receive.  I 
will say this, the antennas all stayed up last winter but this year we 
had 6 ft of snow in two days just prior to the CW WW contest.  Both the 
SAL-30 and the beverage were destroyed and needed to be 
repaired/replaced.  I had the chance to fix the beverage, but it was 
broken in several places where trees came down on the wire.  The circle 
8 was not broken at all.  The K9AY was not damaged either.  We had winds 
of 70 mph plus during the storm.  Large trees 8" in diameter were taken 
down.  Pines were decapitated of all foliage.  The circle 8 is pretty 
tough as I constructed it but it is just not a great 160m receive 
antenna.  It is good but not as effective with S/N ratio to the NE as 
the beverage.  I think some of my observations are latitude specific for 
Western New York and I acknowledge that my location is very very bad on 
antennas.  Some of my yagis only lasted months before they were 
destroyed by wind storms.  I eventually redesigned almost everything 
including the 4 Square vertical radiators that were severely damaged 
last winter.  That is it.  In my case, physical design of the receive 
antenna begins to be of paramount importance when considering 
installation.

-- 
David J Rodman MD
Assistant Clinical Professor
Department of Ophthalmology
SUNY/Buffalo

Office 716-857-8654