[TowerTalk] Stack questions

[Pete Smith]

I'm still in my first month with my stacked C3Es, and while they seem to
work FB I have some questions for more experienced triband stack users.

1.  Is it to be expected that the SWR will be different, with the antennas
fed in phase, when they are pointed in different directions compared to
when they are aimed the same.  The effect is fairly significant -- for
example on 20m SWR is 1.4:1 when pointed in the same direction, but drops
to 1.1:1 when they are 180 from each other.  I think I can undersatand why
this should be conceptually, but...

2.  It seemed to be worthwhile to point the 2 antennas differently during
SS -- for example, I would put the top one west and the bottom one south or
north.  Is this also potentially useful during CQWW (pointing the lower one
toward SA, for example), or am I better off keeping everything on Europe
and picking up SA off the rear quarter as needed?

By the way, on 95 percent of occasions where I have checked so far, the
stack has been superior to either antenna alone, and I've only had one case
where the lower one was noticeably better.  I suspect that at 69 feet, the
lower antenna still isn't low enough to optimize for the middle of European
openings on 10m.



73, Pete Smith N4ZR

Contesting is ... Extreme Radio

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