[TowerTalk] 40 meter 4 SQR performance

[Dinsterdog@aol.com]

Greetings TT's and BLT's

Well, I have very good experience utilizing my comtek coupler controlling my 
40 meter 1/2 wave dipole array.  The F/B varies with conditions but ranges 
from 10-25db while tx signal reports compared to my Butternut HF2V vertical 
over an extensive radial system average anywhere from no difference to up to 
2 or so S units.  The vertical never beats the 4SQR, period- 

The vertical is 50 feet from the shack while the 4SQR sits on a 65 foot tower 
350 feet from the shack.  My loss is around 40% from the shack to the 4SQR, 
and only about 10% from the shack to the vertical.  So side by side, with 
equal lengths of COAX, the 4 SQR would be a big winner-  

Like others, I think the 4 SQR's big advantage is instant switching for 
direction but it seldoms outhears my beverages.  In LP conditions, both my 80 
meter and 40 meter 4SQRS, out perform the beverages, but they are equal in RX 
in most other conditions with the beverages prefered due to the attentuation 
on most QRN sources.  The wire 4SQR is also a very durable antenna compared 
to other verticals and beams in severe wx conditions-

I will admit, at first, I was real dissapointed with the 4SQR perfornance 
over the single vertical, but overtime, having the 40 meter 4SQR for certain 
condx has been a great relief, especailly when I worked VU2WAP for my last 
QSO needed to complete my 5 Band WAZ.  I worked Miku on a IC756 with a 
partially blown out front end but was still able to hear him whispering in 
the low static thanks to a decent 4SQR.  I was not hearing him at on the 
beverage-

Now if I could only get my 160 meter Inv L tx antenna to work as well as the 
beverages hear-  Thats the true test of antenna design- With 160 acres of 
prairie, mostly on a slight incline above the surrounding area, I have a 
great location for rx antennas.  No trees, just lots of grass under the 
wires.  Might go to a 160 meter 4SQR now that the ARRL has a bandplan in 
effect that is in one word, AWESOME!    

If you use a comtek 4SQR and note a loss in performance and/or F/B, I suggest 
looking to see if your dummy load is still hooked up, test for power 
dissapaiting into the dummy load, check to see if your rig's RX antenna jack 
is on by mistake (I always forget about this thinking I'm switching my 4 SQR 
rx when all I'm doing is hearing the same beverage antenna) and all feedline 
connections.  I have yet to experience complete loss of F/B when I've checked 
for these errors.

73  Paul  N0AH
 the Furthest SE W7 stastion in the World!!!
 (ok, ok, so I only have 50 confirmed on 160, I'm trying, ok? Someday, I'll 
get there-)  

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