[TowerTalk] perspective

[Pete Smith]

At 11:23 AM 7/19/00 -0400, Tom Rauch wrote:
...
>I've been racking my brain trying to think of a way to test the theory 
>that a few dB of signal makes a big difference in a contest, but I 
>can't think of a way to prove or disprove it.

I wish I knew the proper logician's term for this sort of "proof," but let
me give it a try anyhow....

Let's assume that I make several thousand QSOs during a contest.  Let's
further assume that those QSOs are distributed along bell-shaped
distribution curves with respect to several parameters, such as path loss
and receiving signal-to-noise ratio.  There are potential QSOs out at the
lower end of each curve that were NOT made, because the distant station
fell just below the threshhold of acceptable copy of my signal.  If the
station had heard me, and if he had called me, I would have heard him (my
receiving location is quite quiet). 

Now add a dB or 2 to my signal.  In some small number of those instances,
my signal is now just loud enough to be heard, I get those additional
calls, and the QSOs are made.  If the gain results from antenna
improvements, then there MAY also be a few instances where I hear a station
I couldn't hear before, to the extent that improved directivity lowers the
ambient noise floor.

I can't tell you how many QSOs a dB's worth to a contester, but I think
this says there will be SOME.

73, Pete Smith N4ZR

The World Contest Station Database 
is back up and running at
http://www.qsl.net/n4zr 



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