[TowerTalk] Omnidirectional antenna for domestic contests

[Earl Morse]

Did somebody say Sweepstakes?

I have been using an AI1H dipole at 75-80' from the Detroit QTH for the last decade.  You don't need 1500W or a NNY/VE8 section to be loud on 80 meters during this contest, but it helps, sometimes the A category is more competitive though.

There are no meters like 80 meters from this area for SS.  Year over year I have been consistently making about 1000 QSOs in this "work each station once and only once" contest.  On the very best years the QSO count on 80 meters is about 45% of the total take which makes it pretty important to the QSO total.

Having decided I was loud enough, I have focussed on receiving antennas to increase the S/N ratios of those poor souls that are trying to work me with QRP and a hamstick stuck on the porch rail of their condo.  I have found more bang for the buck there, seeing that optimizing the dipole might only gain me a dB or 2 to work some AK/KH6 station that I would be able to pick up with no problem on 20M anyway, so why struggle with it on 80M?  

The receiving antennas also helps to reduce operator fatigue over a 24 hour operation.  Nothing wrong with a little less noise and a little more signal.

Earl
N8SS

--- towertalk-request at contesting.com wrote:

From: towertalk-request at contesting.com
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: TowerTalk Digest, Vol 154, Issue 20
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2015 23:23:22 -0400

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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2015 15:38:45 -0400
From: "john at kk9a.com" <john at kk9a.com>
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Omnidirectional antenna for domestic contests
Message-ID: <edc75cf0c18442506fde60da37b4b497.squirrel at www11.qth.com>
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1

In a number of Sweepstakes contests I have used an 80m inverted V with the
apex 130' high. I have never compared this to any other antenna. Running
150 watts I can work anyone that I can hear.

John KK9A - W4AAA



To:	"towertalk at contesting.com" <towertalk at contesting.com>
Subject:	Re: [TowerTalk] Omnidirectional antenna for domestic contests.
Re: TowerTalk Digest, Vol 154, Issue 18
From:	Al Kozakiewicz <akozak at hourglass.com>
Date:	Mon, 12 Oct 2015 18:45:25 +0000


Using my completely anecdotal, un-analyzed and un-modeled experience, a 16
foot
high inverted v powered by 1500 watts allows me to work any 80m station I can
hear during November Sweepstakes from my QTH in NNY.  This includes
sections as
far away as SCV and WWA as well as NH, ME, WPA, NNJ and OH. For all I
know, I'm
effectively running QRP at some of those distances, but for the 2 hours of
effort it took me to measure 120 some feet of wire, run a coax and screw an
eyelet into the fascia at the roof peak, it was worth it.

Al
AB2ZY



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