[TowerTalk] best coax/receiving

[Pete Smith]

At 10:26 AM 4/13/00 +0100, Ian White, G3SEK wrote:
...
>3. You are only addressing signal/noise ratio. Contesters and weak-
>signal operators measure the value of a dB by its effect on their
>ability to COPY information from a weak signal, and ultimately on the
>total SCORE in a long contest. Signal/noise ratio has an effect on both
>of these, but not in a simple way.

Well, receiving's certainly part of the story.  I like to think about it
this way:

Any HF path under a given set of conditions requires a certain sum total of
radiated power at the two stations to effect a QSO.  Not only must the sum
be enough, but the balance between the two must be such that neither signal
is below the noise threshhold at the other end (whatever it is, for a
particular op and QTH).  As a contester, my goal is to be loud enough so
that I will be heard by every European or JA with an indoor dipole who
might want to call me.  

That does me no good if I can't hear them, of course.  If I happen to have
a quiet location,  I can hear weaker stations, so I might want to be even
louder, to make sure everyone I can hear can hear me.  If I improve my
receiving, by adding a Beverage or whatever, then I can profitably use more
transmitting gain.  I'm not sure this progression EVER ends. 

73, Pete Smith N4ZR
n4zr@contesting.com 

Don't forget to update your entry on the World Contest Station Database,
now at http://www.contesting.com/stationdatabase.htm

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