[TowerTalk] Re:Beverages and Trees

[Jack Goforth]

FWIW Dept.

I have used four long Beverages for several years. Two of the Beverages
are run in a very wooded area and two are run on 10 foot wood supports
in open fields.

I have no problem "hearing" with the Beverages run in heavy woods. 
Same with the open field Beverages. I can leave the Beverages in
the woods up all year but must take down the open field Beverages about
mid April until mid Sept so as to mow the hey.

The only problem with beverages in wooded areas is they are constantly
being knocked down by falling branches or the plastic fence insulators
I use to attach the wire to the trees are eaten by squirrels.

It was many years before I had enough land to construct Beverage antennas
for low band DXing... I am still fascinated by their high directional 
properties and my ability to copy 5/5, DX signals I can't even hear on 
my vertical antenna used for transmitting.

>If all you have is maple trees, do you get more gain while the sap is
>running or when in dormant state?

Since I only use my Beverages during the fall and winter months,
(dormant state) I can't answer your question...

Seriously, a Beverage won't give you gain, it's just highly discriminates
any and every signal, including noise, coming from any direction except 
where the antenna is pointed...Especially the low angle (read DX) signals. 

I have tried my beverages on the broadcast band in the middle of the night
and have actually picked up, with minimal interference, four distinct
broadcast stations on the same frequency, just by switching the four antennas.

Bottom line...Don't sweat the trees for Beverages or any low band HF antenna.

Jack   K4IBP


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