[TowerTalk] Antenna positioning in the wind

Joe Subich, W8IK w8ik@ibm.net
Fri, 11 Dec 1998 22:58:33 -0500



> 
> > Based on information that Roger Cox of HyGain has previously posted
> > to the Towertalk group, putting the boom broadside to the wind is
> > best of HF antennas.  
> 
> Not so fast!
> 
> ON4UN's excellent book Low Band Dxing (an ARRL publication) is much 
> clearer on the subject.  In section 13 paragraph 3.3.4.1 he writes:-
> "If the area of the boom is smaller than the area of all the 
> elements, then put the boom perpendicular to the wind.  And vice 
> versa......"

Since you are quoting my post, don't leave out the important part. 
I posted Roger's listing of boom and element areas for a wide range 
of Hy-Gain antennas (from the smallest 3 element 10 meter monobander 
to the big TH-11) and in every case save for a 6 element 6 meter 
monoband antenna there was more wind area in the elements than in 
the boom. 
 
> It is clear that if you have a short boom HF antenna, the elements 
> will have a higher wind load, but for a multi-element and therefore 
> long boom antenna, the boom has the higher wind load.  You need to 
> calculate to decide which applies to you. 
 
Even the Hy-Gain 205CA (a five element monoband antenna on a 32 foot 
boom) has more than twoce as much area in the elements than in the 
boom (205CA: elements 11.5 ft^2  boom 5.8 ft^2)

> These things are NOT a matter of opinion as some contributors seem to 
> think.  Do some number crunching and work on the basis of FACT!

That's right ... get your facts straight first! 




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