[TowerTalk] DXCC, WAS, QCWA, Antennas and heights

[Roger (K8RI) on TT]

DXCC? I've been a ham for over 55 years and a life member of the ARRL 
for over 50 years.  I don't even have WAS although It's most likely 
because I've never tried nor had the Inclination. I came the closest to 
WAS while as a Novice and my first year in the General class.  OTOH 
working from 6 different locations may have played a part as well.    I 
would like to get my CW speed back up to where it was at one time. Back 
then, just listening to high speed CW was like listening to someone 
talking. No way could I write that fast. A good CW copying program is 
about the best I could hope for now.

"To me", Ham Radio has been about "getting things to work" and shooting 
the breeze, rather than awards, or clubs.  I get a station working and I 
end up trying something else.  I'll start listening to a contest, make a 
few contacts and lose interest.  I was far more active when I had 
rudimentary equipment than with my current and fairly elaborate 
stations. (SO2R)

I've never had an interest in digital form of communication as I have a 
degree with work toward my masters in computer science. I spent years 
working 10 to over 16 hours a day working with and on computers.  Add to 
that years as a computer systems project manager (IOW - getting things 
to work) which meant quite a few years off-the-air.

I've had antennas that worked well (for me) and some that didn't.  I 
have been able to run A/B comparisons on a few over a number of years.

The A/B comparisons are a valid data point while all other antenna 
performances are nothing more than an anecdotal report on those antennas 
other than the shared dismal performance of multiband trap verticals.  
Sure, people have worked many countries and states with them, but where 
another reasonable alternative is available, they don't compare favorably.

OTOH any given antenna height is playing the odds.  I like big antennas, 
but "on paper" there is little difference between, 3,4, and 5 element 
full size antennas.  Antenna modeling based on physics still places odds 
on the optimal antenna height, or any given height.  Whether above or 
below the calculated height by reasonable heights, there will be a time 
when band conditions favor these heights over the statically derived 
optimal antenna height for that band.  Hence the big contesters run 
antennas at multiple heights and diversity reception, selecting the 
antenna with the strongest signal for the desired distance.  I've wanted 
one of these systems for years, but I have neither the land, nor the 
budget to do more than imagine building a station like one of these  I 
have little desire to log into one of the "super stations" and play, 
over the Internet.

In the end it comes down to having a good antenna at the right height, 
at the right time, as well as operator skill.

-- 

73

Roger (K8RI)


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