[TowerTalk] Gap and others

Wed May 7 11:32:54 EDT 2003

How about the Sigma from Force 12 ? seems like a
better solution to your problem.  I think the dummy
load and quiet comments go hand in hand they are not
oppisite opionins.

http://force12inc.com/sigma80info-001.htm

--- Dinsterdog at aol.com wrote:
> Wow,
> 
> I got a lot of response to my Gap question on noise
> and 80M.
> 
> Now here's the rest of the story......
> 
> I moved from my 160 acre ranch in Wyoming where we
> had a number of low band arrays etc........to a
> typical urban back yard in Denver.  Being a low
> bander and 80 meter diehard, I set up my Hustler
> 6BTV and with it. With around 10 radials and my
> Alpha Amp, I had a fairly decent 80M season (of what
> was left of it) working several JA's, and even a RW
> station zone 19 LP at sunrise.  That was a rush- 
> All on days where the RF hash was tolerable. It's a
> lot better in the morning vs evening-
> 
> Now I know how to DX on 80M using big antennas, and
> have had good success with smaller antennas like the
> HF2V and 6BTV....I don't waste my time on wire
> wonders, etc....
> 
> But the noise level on the Hustler at the new QTH
> was a lot worse than expected. Ouch as you could
> hear a pin drop on it at my old QTH and both the
> HF2V and 6BTV did well DX'ing. At the new QTH, HF2V
> was no better on noise. Especaily trying to hear EU.
> 
> 
> To make things worse, my 3 year old kept getting
> tangled up in the radial field......what a mess I
> was running into trying to work the only band I'm
> serious about-
> 
> In a totally desperate mode, and brain jammed with
> rose colored glasses and prescribed medications, I
> did try Martin's 1026 box but let's face the facts. 
> This box requires a null antenna that can hear as
> well as what you are using taking up extra room in
> the yard.  My 6 BTV was on one side of the yard,
> while my nulling HF2V on the other side Blah- The
> box had ok effects at first nulling out some noise
> but it also reduced signal strengths as well nulling
> them out too....it had poor RF protection and cooked
> in a week. Good little toy if your are a SWL, but
> not for DX'ing in my experience-
> 
> So how do I get the DX efficiency of a vertical yet
> hear with it too-  Using receiving loops is a good
> idea, an excellent idea! But again, room is limited.
>  And regardless of what vertical antenna I've tried,
> noise still sucks- (My guess is I'll still try some
> rx loops some day but..........)
> 
> So here I am pondering whats the next step- In the
> mean time, I go out and get the new Cushcraft MA5V
> with it's center fed vertical dipole design. (I
> think thats how some explain it)-
> 
>  Guess what?!....it is quiter on rx vs the Hustler
> 6BTV on ALL band comparisons and works just as well.
>  Hummmm......too bad you can't run any power with it
> and darn if they didn't build it for anything but
> the high bands- 
> 
> So looking around, I find that the Gap Titan is a
> center fed 1/2 wave vertical/dipole design or
> something to that effect. It's never clear to me but
> it seems like a good choice for a quiter RF antenna.
> That is their claim-
> 
> So before ordering one, I go to my antenna test book
> but I'm not encouraged by what's stated for this
> antenna on 80M. Then I go to Eham and bingo, over 50
> reviews and it people love it- A 9V who I've worked
> from Wyoming uses one and that's the icing on the
> cake. 
> 
> So I order it and I'm almost done finishing up. 
> Recent emails to me say it's a dummy load on 80M
> while others say it is not quieter than anything
> else they've tried.  These emails are from people I
> know to be great low band ops but I remain
> encouraged-
> 
> I'm looking forward to raising it up- Power
> limitations and all.  
> 
> BTW, I was told that the 500 watt limit applies to
> full duty cycle and that running legal is ok on CW,
> SSB, etc....myth or fact I'm about to find out- 
> 
> I like pushing antenna's to their limits and I'm
> watering at the mic to try this puppy out- 
> 
> Any other commenets about the Gap Titan or any other
> Gap for the low bands will be greatly appreciated.
> Good or bad, I just want to know.  I've already used
> several suggestions in constructing the antenna
> found on the Eham review site and Gap has a great
> webpage......Please feel free to email me here or at
> dinsterdog at aol.com.
> 
> I'll post my results in a few weeks once I have a
> chance to work some DX somewhere-  I am using the
> capacitor for 3.500MHz but have ordered the cap for
> 3.800MHz for later comparisions-
> 
> If you see any mushroom clouds over Denver, you know
> I pushed it a bit too much with the Alpha-
> 
> 73  Paul  N0AH
> 
>   
> _______________________________________________
> 
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting
> Towers", "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's
> more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
> questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
> 
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=====
- Jim Apple (WB1DOG)

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