[TowerTalk] Planning for the next move...

[Jim Brown]

On 2/1/2018 8:34 AM, Chuck Chandler wrote:
> So, in about 2 years or so She Who Must Be Obeyed and I will be moving
> again.  I will be finally retired and am hoping to build a modest station
> that will satisfy my goals.

Hi Chuck,

Thinking about towers and antenna choices at this stage is putting the 
cart WAY before the horse. It is FAR more important to think about real 
estate, neighbors (ideally the lack of), and terrain. Neighbors bring RF 
noise. If you can't hear 'em, you can't work 'em. Most "developments," 
which includes most homes, come with restrictions that prevent ANY 
antenna, and lots of neighbors with lots of noise.

Terrain can be a major plus or minus. A QTH on even a modest rise that 
provides a downward slope in the direction of the DX can be good for 10 
dB. I've got a long downslope to the Pacific, so I'm strong anywhere in 
the Pacific -- VK/ZL, JA, BA, JT, etc., but I'm 200 ft below a ridge to 
the east, especially northeast, so I have a hard time into EU.

Tall trees can hold dipoles, which are great for 80 and 40 if they're 
high enough. There's a piece in QST this month about trees absorbing RF 
from VERTICAL antennas. They have much less effect on horizontal 
antennas. I suggest you take a look at my applications note on Antenna 
Planning.

http://k9yc.com/AntennaPlanning.pdf

If you want to work 160 in a serious way, you'll want a vertical, and 
you'll need some form of counterpoise. If you have a tower, you can load 
it. Here are slides for a talk I've given at Pacificon and Visalia about 
antenna planning for 160.

http://k9yc.com/160MPacificon.pdf

73, Jim K9YC