[Towertalk] It's not a spitfire...

[Pete Smith]

At 08:25 PM 3/18/02 -0500, jljarvis wrote:
>
>Seems I mis-applied the name which YCCC is using to describe a bent,
>sloping dipole array.  A Spitfire, it's not.
>
>The system I contemplate consists of four sloping dipoles.
>The hoist for these is 1/2 wavelength above ground.
>
>At the feedpoint, the dipoles are pulled outward, on a 45 degree
>angle.  THEN, the lower half is pulled back toward the tower base.
>Looks like an array of diamonds.  (COULD also be simple slopers,
>not bent back inward.)
>
>These are each fed through 3/8 wavelength coax, such that unfed
>elements become reflectors.  
>
>4x4nj has used one of these on 160 and on 80.  Don't know what 
>they're called, other than sloper arrays.  
>
>SO, I repeat the question:  Any personal experience?  Comments?

Jim, I don't know if you saw my subsequent message, but I have one of these
for 80m.  It's terrific for that band, but it cannot be compared with a
horizontal antenna -- even a dipole --  at 6.25-.750 wavelengths above
grtound, because of the 6 dB of ground reflection gain that the latter
enjoys.  But for those of us whose resources are less than astronomical, it
is a GREAT solution!

73, Pete N4ZR

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