Topband: Verticals on the beach

[Mike Smith VE9AA]

I am quite enjoying this discussion, even though some of it is anecdotal and
some is theoretical/mathematical.

Are there any readers of this list, who, say, has a home (or did a portable
op) whereby they had a vertical @ the beach (or land/water interface)

-AND- ("and" being the key word here) had a vertical some distance back on
terra firma so they were able to do some A/B comparisons?

 

I myself can only add something very anecdotal I am afraid.

 

In 1996 we did CY0AA..all antennas were shielded from the sea by hundreds of
meters of dry sand and large dunes.  We could not even see the ocean.
Signals were not ever what I would call "great", even though we were
fortunate enough to have the infamous Battle Creek special for 40-80-160.

 

In 1997 we did CY9AA.  We went to the tiny north Island.  Our 160m antenna
was a Helium balloon supported vertical out over the water and topband
signals even though it was mid summer, were at times incredible !!

All HF bands were in a state of flux, being a big Aurora that week, but I
clearly remember working pileups of EU;s on 20m phone well into the night
and K7BV ran JA's on 40m CW until hours after sunset.

We also heard the 6m beacon FP5XAB/b (now gone) over the salt water some
100?km away pretty much 24/7.

The secret? We were on a tiny rock,(the North Island of CY9) some 100' (a
guess) up out of the water with salt water in every direction except to the
SSW.even then, SSW was a good shot.

 

Given the 2 very different locations of Sable (CY0) vs St. Paul's (CY9) both
"relatively close to salt water,  I would say the scales would most
definitely tip towards CY9 every time.

 

High cliffs and salt water.  At times on CY9 we never even ran the amps and
it didn't seem to matter.

 

What say you?

 

Mike VE9AA

p.s.-Just watched 9V1YC's BS7H video.  Were signals there good or what?

 

Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB