[TowerTalk] Stack philosophy question - spray or beam?

[Dan Levin]

For the upcoming 10 meter contest, I built a 3 element monobander that I
plan to stack with one of my existing antennas.  I have two options:

1) Stack them both on my rotating mast, spaced about 15 feet apart.  This
will make them both rotate together and always point the same direction.
However, the minimized spacing will cost me about .7 dBi vs. max gain at
optimum spacing (gain models to be 9.94 dBi, vs. about 7.2 dBi for each
antenna).

2) Stack them at optimum spacing, but have the lower antenna always point
stateside.  This results in about 10.6 dBi modeled gain.

I realize that this is one of those unanswerable questions of philosophy,
but I'd be interested in input.  Remember that I am a 6 - so leaving one
antenna at 70 degrees means it will always be pointed the right way for
stateside contacts.

The trade-off seems to be having the best signal I can all the time -
including JA and EU, vs. spraying with one antenna always pointed stateside
but with better gain when I have both antennas aimed that way.

Thoughts?  Suggestions?  Thanks!

            ***dan, N6BZA


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