[TowerTalk] 4 square vs. beverages... DAVIS RF response

[Steve Davis -Davis RF Co.]

  I agree with K9YC and K1TTT remarks, with a slight derivation.  My love 
for the 4 sqr. perhaps influences some bloviating of the subject.
 First, conditions in general, converging paths and angles which vary, would 
make both the 4 square, and beverages, an optimal combination on receive. 
Prior to the mid-1980's refinement of the 4 square array by W1FC and the 
late W1CF,  clearly I and others felt that beverages had it over all others 
on receive.  Obviously both take a lot of space on the low bands, and 
between the two, it would be a hard choice performance wise.  It would just
boil down to what I felt the predominant propagation conditions would be for 
what I planned to work, and then what the space issues would be.
 In comparison, 40 and 80 m. 4 sq's. would be a better choice, given their 4 
directions vs. the space requirement for beverages covering the same 4 
directions.
   160 meters:   as long as on a farm in IA, or the planes of Texas, I guess 
having both would be fine...HI .... and being in the wire/cable business, 
I'm all for those lengths of radials and coax to the various feed points... 
HI agn.
   Just a little bias here too:  I was with Colatchco, Inc. (Collins (W1FC) 
and Atchley (W1CF), which was a part time biz back in 80's.   I was part of 
the meeting with  Fred, W1FC when he donated all his tech'l expertise ref. 
the hybrid and circuit design, to John, ON4UN, which John included in his 
renowned book, "Low Band DX'g".

Subesequently Comtek evolved (K8UR) with the same W1FC design and then Jim 
Miller, K4SQR bought it and did a super job for many years.  Recently DX 
Eng'g. bought Comtek (retaining Jim as consultant).  A fitting evolution as 
I trust that Paul Sergi, DX Eng'g, will carry the product forward with his 
usual expertise and devotion to quality.

The 4 sqr. certainly was, and is, a hot antenna which served me well, and 
many others.  It is certainly not "cooling off" to any other innovation that 
I'm aware of.   Also, think of the real estate commissions made in the quest 
of foot prints for the 4 square (or beverages for sure) !!
  Cheers,
 Steve ,  K1PEK,

DAVIS RF Co., Div. of Orion Wire Co., Inc.

Wire, Cable, RF Connectors and wire aerial parts.   LMR, Heliax, Eupen

Commercial / Military / & Custom Cable Design

tel:  978-369-1738     Fax:  978-369-3484
www.DavisRF.com