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

[Grant Saviers]

My 4 sq DXE exhibits similar "no directivity" at times.  I think it is 
high angle signals.  I did add three 20 foot radials to each antenna, I 
don't think it matters what the vertical element is, a little better 
grounding is good.  My soil is wet/swampy forest/grass mix and I don't 
think they made much difference.  I put the radials along the square 70' 
baselines and pointing outward outside the square to minimize any 
coupling to the feedlines to the switch box in the center of the array.

My BIG problem is an intermittent S9+40 noise generated within the 
array.  Comes and goes, so it is very hard to troubleshoot.  I've 
disconnected each antenna one by one, checked, cleaned and reseated 
every cable, varied the power supply voltage, had the DXE preamp in and 
out and not found it. VERY frustrating!!  I did find the antenna amp 
pcb's had not been flux cleaned and at each F female connector a lot of 
corrosion products had built up.  I think this is because of the 
sustained DC voltage on that connector.  Removing the white crystalline 
gunk that went from F center to the 4 soldered legs made no difference.  
My next step is to take apart the switch box and see what is going on 
inside it.  DXE won't provide schematics, but I did find the W8JI patent 
which I think is what DXE is selling.

It's a very good antenna IMO, but DXE needs to have better QC. Residual 
flux is bad and although the antenna enclosures are well made, they 
aren't water tight.  Probably the boards should be conformal coated 
given the WX exposure, but that makes them harder to fix.

Grant KZ1W


On 3/1/2015 10:52 AM, W0MU Mike Fatchett wrote:
> 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!
>