[TowerTalk] Recognize this tower?

[W2RU - Bud Hippisley]

Supporting N4DB's premise:

Years ago (i.e., long before DX Clusters), as a still-young EE, I was working long hours at GE -- in part, to pay for my ham radio "habit":  Collins on the desk and antennas outside that were bigger and higher than anyone else's in the area.  (At the time, that meant 70 feet and a TH-6DXX / S-402 combo.)

Less than a quarter-mile from me lived a retired school teacher, Charlie Taylor (SK), then-K2KBI.  He lived in a small 1-story ranch house and his antenna "farm" consisted of a low-power trap-tribander no more than five feet above the peak of his roof, mounted to a small tripod.  Whenever I ran into him, he was very soft-spoken and low-key.

Even before he retired, Charlie was home by 4 p.m. most days. I was usually at work until 7 or later, and many times until midnight and on weekends.  We never caused interference to each other because when Charlie was on the air, I was still at work.  When I was on the air, Charlie was already in bed.  

Charlie was on the Honor Roll; I still am not.  Very tall towers buy you the ability to "open" and "close" the bands, and to walk into just about any pileup and get out of it quickly with a QSO.  But if you don't or can't spend time in front of the rig, they're basically useless.  For those able to put "time in the chair", it's less a matter of antenna height and more a matter of being in the right place(s) MOST of the time, coupled with knowing how to outsmart 99% of the rest of the pileup.  Bludgeon vs. finesse, in other words.

Bud, W2RU

On Sep 15, 2011, at 5:49 PM, David Blake wrote:

> I have never had an antenna higher than 50 feet.  I have worked all countries,  more than 300 countries on 6 bands, all 40 zones on 6 bands, DXCC 352 countries, etc, etc.  Probably many here have been beaten by me in pileups, mostly those with higher antennas   --  HI.  The point is, yes,  I'm certain there are times when long haul, very low angle radiation and higher antennas would have helped but it certainly isn't a necessity.  You can do well with lower antennas, not have to invest as money and sleep easier when there are hurricanes, ice storms or whatever else mother nature throws your way.
> 
> 73
> Dave -N4DB-