[TowerTalk] Spring time antenna project

[Rip R]

Thanks to all those who responded off line.

Thank you for taking the time to send me an email; the questions and
comments are good ones, and should help define the need. I think what
prompted this was the frequency of hearing only one side of a QSO while
tuning across the bands. Then I read Jim Brown's comments on vertical
dipoles; which left me thinking that there were better alternatives. I used
vertical dipoles occassionaly while cruising on our boat and they seemed to
be more productive that a random wire.

I primarily enjoy working CW and within that sphere, I enjoy contacting a
new country and rag chewing to improve my CW skills.I initially started
looking at the next generation of vertical dipole from N6BT who originally
started Force 12 and eventually sold it. Tom (N6BT) has been very helpful,
but I am not convinced that the performance will be much better (if any)
over my Force 12 vertical dipole. I was also on the verge of buying a new
Ten Tec but thought that a new antenna might be money better spent.

I could experiment with dipoles and verticals without spending a lot of
money as compared to an antenna on a tower. The HOA thing may not be a big
issue since no one has said peep about this aluminum vertical dipole
sticking 30 feet in the air; there is nothing in the covenants that
specifically prohibits an antenna. But I sure would hate to spend the money
and find myself in the middle of some legal hassel that only lawyers win at.

Well time to pull the plug and get to work this morning. Thanks again. 73s
Rip  W7RIP

P.S. I did look at that antenna project in this month's QST. I also called
HRO on the price of a crank up tublar tower; and I want to also look at
aluminum towers.