[TowerTalk] best coax/receiving

[wa4dou@juno.com]

Hi Guys,

  I don't have any beef with any of you, or with contesters. Had not some
"knee jerk reactionaries" responded as they did, i'd not be writing this
now. I'm a contester. albeit, a casual one. There are contesters like me.
There are also contesters that are quite serious. Fine, still no problem
or beef. I applaud! Its great. I can appreciate their enthusiasm. I don't
begrudge them chasing every db. My comments were not directed to
contesters. I even made a point of saying that if you're a contester with
only a single directional antenna, you may not want an antenna with a
high front to back ratio. I understand the need for, and desire for every
fraction of a db to be fereted out ,because a few tenths here and there
and a db or two here and there can add up to a winning difference. There
is a difference between a few tenths here and there and a db here and
there adding up to significant gain, and someone saying that a few tenths
made the difference. A few tenths can't do it since a few tenths are not
even discernable. This is, after all, a technical avocation, and it
revolves around the laws of phisics. Our ability to measure gain is
limited to about +- 1 db, under the best of conditions. And a db (1 db)
is "just barely discernable."
  I understand about stacking yagis on a tower, quite similiar to Lazy
H's that i've had, a lower angle of radiation results. I understand that
its not practical or feasable to keep having to rotate an antenna, time
is points, you can instantly switch to fixed or semi-fixed antennas. I
envy guys who have monoband stacks, really tall antennas, a variety of
antennas,etc. Were i to win a lottery tomorrow, the only way you know is
that WA4DOU would begin looking for huge acreage to erect antennas that
would remind one of VOA sites. My life is not just noise limited, its
money limited. I have to take the pragmatic course. That is, to get all
the cheap gain and enhancements, and be thankful that the time came in
life when i could also join those hams who had a tower and a "tribander."
Remember the article in one of the "Antenna Compendium's," about the
"Elephant Gun" 10 meter yagi? Something like 10 elements? I'd love to
have Elephant Gun yagis on 40-30-20-17-15-12 -10 and 6 meters. And more.
But for most hams it isn't going to happen. And in the world of
"pragmatic" results, a couple of db, or even 3 or 4, aren't going to make
or break our stations. 
  I'm glad we've all had a relatively civilized discussion on towertalk.
This is a reflector that is a cut above, in my opinion. Above, i referred
to "knee jerk reactionaries." Its meant as mild humor, not serious name
calling. 
  If i might advance one more opinion, when you guys read comments that
you think disparages something you hold near and dear, try to think about
the fact that you may be the exception to the statement. Don't be so thin
skinned or fragile that you need handling with kid gloves. Take the parts
that apply and leave the rest!
  73 and thanks for all the positive feedback!   Roy WA4DOU
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