Topband: Improving low angle reception DX Eng 8 ele Circle RCV Array

[W0MU Mike Fatchett]

I just recently hooked up my 8 ele rcv array and I was not too sure if 
it was working correctly.

I will need to do some maintenance and checking when the snow is gone to 
make sure each element is working right.

I chose the 160/80/40m which is close to 50 ft radius circle.  I may opt 
to make it bigger if the area I have will allow.

Last night in the NA QP RTTY contest the array seemed to be working fine 
and was quite directional on stateside signals on 40 and 80.  I am 
seeing directivity on 160 with local broadcast stations.

I was listening to the 3G0ZV station last night on 80 and he had a good 
signal.  His signal did not seem to change much when I changed 
directions on the array.  I was unable to work him though :(  But that 
is an Xmit antenna issue.

The array is placed over what it probably poor sandy soil.  W3LPL 
mention in some of his talks that he was adding some radials to his 
receive array.  His elements are a bit different than the DX Eng 
antennas so I don't know if this would help the DXE elements.

My feeling is that the array could use some improvement in the low angle 
reception.  I feel that it should hear better to Europe and Africa

When I had just the 4 SQ Array up in Montana it was like night and day.  
EU Signals that were not copyable on the 80 xmit antenna were perfectly 
copyable on the 4 sq array.  I am not seeing that on the 8 ele array.

Conditions are always different so maybe it is fine but condx have been 
poor?

Thanks for your suggestions in advance!

-- 
Mike W0MU