[TowerTalk] antenna higher is better

[Mike & Coreen Smith]

Paul,
You said a mouthful and I couldn't agree with you more.
In 1996 @ CY0AA and 1997 from CY9AA (at the bottom of the cycle) we were
working JA's
with an A3S @ about 10' off the ground, and an R7000 about 3' off the
ground. Granted the signals weren't very strong
but we still did it.
Given a choice, I'd always take the higher antenna though. It seems to be
the "better" one about 90%+ of the time, despite
propagation mode.

73 es CU in the pileups.

Mike VE9AA.....ex CY0AA, CY9AA, yada yada

Michael, Coreen & Corey Smith
(VE9AA,  VE9AAA & Baby-VE9)
271 Smith Rd
Waterville, NB
E2V 3V6
Canada
http://members.tripod.com/~ve9aa/index.html
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/2174/

----- Original Message -----
From: <Dinsterdog@aol.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, January 11, 2002 10:05 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] antenna higher is better


>
> I have a lot of experience at K0RF's station where various HFantennas at
> strategic heights perform differently depending on conditions.  Spending a
> weekend at a world class M/M contest station with several various
monobanders
> teaches one that incoming angle can vary and therefore, lower antennas
work
> better for certain circumstances than higher antennas.
>
> That said, my stack of log periodics, using identical antennas, one at 42
> feet, one at 75 feet, shows the higher antenna out performs the lower
antenna
> on most occasions with few exceptions pertaining to higher than normal
angle
> RF.  I was glad I went from a single antenna at 55 feet, to raising the
tower
> another 20 feet to put it at 75 feet.  In my case, I feel the 20
additional
> feet made a significant difference and was well worth it-  But I'm not
sure
> if going from 75 feet to 95 feet would matter a whole lot as there is a
> diminishing return based on a number of reports I've read and heard of
over
> the years.
>
> I would think that most hams, with typical back yard set ups, should
attempt
> to put their HF antennas at the maximum height where safety, legalities,
> reasonableness, and finances allow.   A thought echoed by many others
already
> responding to this subject.
>
> While on Lord Howe in April of 1998, my Force 12 12/17 dual bander worked
> great on a 15 foot wooden mast if that's worth anything.  All because you
> can't put up an antenna at 70 feet, doesn't mean you should be discouraged
> from using beams.  Safety first, a beam mounted low can still be a lot of
> fun-  Just look at all the field day set ups!
>
> 73  Paul  N0AH  ex VK9LZ
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________
Where do you get ICE bandpass filters & beverage matching boxes?  The
same place that pays for the hosting of this list:  The eHam Store.
Order online at http://store.eham.net.
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