[TowerTalk] verticals in woods vs. in a field

[Tom Rauch]

> My experience is not unlike Gary's good results of having
a 4 Square in
> the woods.  Last year, the K1RX MM managed to beat K3LR on
80 CW using
> this array.  That certainly speaks well of the verticals
in the woods!
> (Thanks to the op - KF1V)


Respectfully Mark, there is nothing in that that proves
anything about loss in trees. Different operators using
different stations in very different locations working
random people and how they do in a random contact event
where they call different people at different times doesn't
prove a thing about trees and verticals.


There are countless examples where people with antennas
known to be several dB down from others do quite well, just
as there are examples of people with good antennas who do
not. Look at all the people who swear by antennas proven to
be several dB down from even "ho-hum" antennas. It is very
common to see people overjoyed with performance of antennas
that are absolutely known to be 5-10dB down from good
antennas.

Roy Lewallen had a 40M vertical with dense woods in the
path, and measured FS. He had an identical vertical without
trees in the path, and it was several dB better. Even that
is suspect, because the system was not exactly the same, but
is a world better than emotional measurements.

One key way to sort through all this is to ask people how
they know something. If someone hasn't done an actual A-B
test using reliable methods, the data is just a guess.
Unless someone has FS data, it is just a guess or personal
opinion.

73 Tom