Topband: Some experiments with a short beverage, not succeeding very well

[Mail 10]

I read somewhere that one test for a receiving antenna is to compare the 
received noise floor against no antenna, during the day with little 
atmospheric noise. There should be a *slight* lift in the noise when the 
receive antenna is connected. This is as little as 2-3 dB at my QTH, a 
rural area.

My Beverages are 270 metres long, made of galvanised steel fencing wire, 
on runs of RG-6 out to about 300 - 400 m. Output is typically just above 
receiver noise floor during the day, maybe -125 dBm. At night, I see 20 
dB or so more signal + noise on my dipole or vertical than any of the 
Beverages. I can hear better on my Beverages than on my beams on 40 and 
30 m.

Previously, I ran a EWE array, with even lower output, but it was still 
very useful. Receivers have far more gain than we need on the lower 
frequencies.

I have had a little bit of experience with short Beverages, on 
DXpedition. Even at the length of yours, they were quite useful. The 
only problems we've had with short DXpedition Beverages, is when cattle 
knocked the poles over, or pulled the wire out at the end!

73,

Luke VK3HJ

On 1/07/2020 4:56 am, Mark Lunday wrote:
> "Beverages just want to work" is what I have heard.
>
> Not having much luck with that here.  I suspect operator/installation error.
>
> I did a lot of reading and I must be doing something wrong.
>
>
>
>    *   250 feet of insulated wire strung out in 030 degrees direction toward EU, pretty straight, varying in height from 4 to 6 feet, running through thick brush with no metal objects or artificial elements along the run.
>    *   9:1 transformer at feed point with ground rod
>    *   300 feet of coax, mix of