[TowerTalk] Stacking Problem

[David Robbins K1TTT]

I am not surprised.  The added gain when running both is not the big
reason for stacking on hf. though you do get some small gain with both,
the big reason is to fill in gaps in the takeoff angle pattern.  On 40m
at 150' you may notice this if you happen to find a station who is much
weaker on one than the other, but when running both he is almost as loud
as on the single antenna that was the strongest before... that is the
real test that stacking is working, but it takes a lot of comparisons to
find a perfect example because of all the variables.


David Robbins K1TTT
e-mail: mailto:k1ttt at arrl.net
web: http://www.k1ttt.net
AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:towertalk-
> bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Stan Stockton
> Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2004 16:41
> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Stacking Problem
> 
> Any ideas on my dilemma would be appreciated.
> 
> I have a couple of 3L 40M yagis that are stacked at 150' and 70'.
They
> are gamma matched (will change to split feed in warmer weather) and
are
> switchable (upper, lower, both) with using an Ameritron RCS-4.  The
power
> split is good but I have yet to see an instance of a station that was
> better using both antennas as compared to the top one.  In some cases
they
> appear to be the same but the two together are never noticeably
better.
> 
> Is there any possibility that the RCS-4 is causing the problem with
> whatever scheme is used to apply voltage in various configurations
through
> the coax?
> 
> Am thinking seriously about replacing the coaxes this afternoon with
long
> enough ones that I can wind an RF choke at the feedpoint to each
antenna
> and also replacing the Ameritron with a high quality Transco switch I
have
> laying around.
> 
> Any feedback would be appreciated, especially if someone has reason to
> believe the problem is in using that RCS-4.
> 
> Stan, K5GO
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
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with
> any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
> 
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