[TowerTalk] Can take-off angle be too low?

[n4kg@juno.com]

Here we go again.

I find that my TH6 at 80 ft is the absolute WORST
performer of all my antennas on 10M, including
a TH7 at 40, TH3 at 40 ft fixed SE, 5L10 at 60 ft, 
and 5L10 at 35 ft fixed on EU.

The 80 ft high TH6 is NEVER better than any
of the other (lower) antennas on 10M.

On 15 and 20M, the TH6 at 80 ft sometimes is
a good band opener and closer but is usually
not as good at the TH7 at 40 ft or 4L15 at 55 ft
when the band has opened up.

During midday, the 40 ft TH7 is often the best 
antenna on 20M and still not a bad performer
at night.  I never bother to move a higher antenna
to Africa where the low TH7 works all.

For domentic contests, an 80 ft high antenna
has a null at 600 to 1000 miles on 20M.  My TH7 
at ft 40 is typically 20 to 40 dB stronder into
W1, 2, 0 than the 80 ft high TH6.

de  Tom  N4KG in North Central Alabama

(300 miles south of Indianapolis,
  20 miles south of Tennessee,
  60 miles east of Mississippi)

////////////////////////////////////////////

On Sat, 04 Nov 2000 Logan <cdietz@swbell.net> writes:
> 
> > On Thu, 29 Jun 2000  "Tonno Vahk" <tonno.vahk@hansa.ee> writes:
> > >
> > >
> > > How important is it to have the ability of running very low
> > > elevation angles in upper HF contesting?
> 
> The prevailing wisdom is high antennas open and close the band...Low
> antennas when it is wide open.
> 
> In Texas for the path to Europe if one only could have one antenna, 
> 75
> feet would be best on 10-15-20 meters.  I understand this height is
> about 55 feet on the East Coast of the US.
> 
> I do a lot of contesting on 10 meters and 75 feet is certainly the
> "bread and butter" (best overall) height to Europe from here.  From 
> this
> statistic, and since Texas is the center of the World...Well, about 
> the
> center of the US for Europeans...I would think 75 feet would be the 
> best
> height for a single antenna for working the most US stations in a
> contest.
> 
> That's my story and I'm stickin too it!
> 
> Chuck, W5PR
> ex: KZ5MM

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