[TowerTalk] Reduced size receiving antennas

[Doug Turnbull]

I have been using a K9AY for a little over a year now and recently added a
565 foot Beverage pointed at the states for use on 160M.   I find a F/B of
about 15 dB on average with the full size K9AY.   My location is quiet so
when compared to a low inverted V at 60 feet the improvement in SNR is not
so noticeable.   The front to back is invaluable in a contest!

The recently added Beverage seems to give me a signal about one S unit or 6
dB on the K9AY but I am not sure the SNR is much improved.

I do not need a Preamp with either of these antennas other than that built
into my Orion II or K3.   Even then I always reduce the RF gain to about
80%.   

Recently I installed an inverted L with a vertical element running between
80 and 90 foot depending on the height to which the tower is cranked.  This
antenna is very noisy on receive and both of my receive antennas far out
perform this antenna for SNR.

Shortly I will install a 720' Beverage pointed at Japan.   This I hope will
really sing.

K9AY antennas work as do Beverages.   I am surprised that the Beverage is
only 6 dB louder than the K9AY and that SNR is not dramatically improved
rather than seeming to be very close.

Sometimes I listen on 80M and the performance of the K9AY on this band is
about as good as on 160M.   I have not had the Beverage long enough to
compare it to the K9AY on this band.

I note that on the 3830 K9AY used Beverage antennas to listen with during
CQWW on 160M. He did not mention his own design.

            73 Doug EI2CN





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