[TowerTalk] High Antenna

Jiri Sanda jirka@jimaz.cz
Tue, 7 Oct 1997 22:50:56 +0100


Hello,

I also want to come with few comments on the antenna height.

We (me + OK1RF) do have here two antennas for 20m, one in 24m and one on different tower in 52m above the ground. As a rule of a thumb while working east coast the lower antenna is significantly better than the higher one, the difference is ranging from practicaly zero to well over 6 S units !! It is very very propagation sensitive - avarege difference is about 2 S units in favor of the low antenna. Situation when the high antenna is better was already observed but is very rare and from the contesting point of view negligible. 
Exactly opposite is the situation with west coast, there is the high antenna usualy about 1-2S units better but there were observed situations when W6,W7 station was 59+10 on the high antenna and not audible on the "low" one. Also the other was observed, the signals on the low antenna can be 2S units better compared to the high ant and it is more often the the opposite on the east coast.

All this is very very time + propagation dependent. You might observe rapid changes during 10 minutes periods while listening to same station as the skip in the ionosphere changes and/or drifts.

The conclusion which most probably evrybody will agree with is:
        the more various antennas you have the bigger chance you"ll going to work them

73 !

Jiri - OK1RI



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