[TowerTalk] 80 meter antenna choice

[Mike Smith VE9AA]

Hey Bill, 

 

I've been very happy with my compromise wire 4-squares.  Most of them are
inverted L type with only 2 raised radials each.  My 80m especially seems to
really rock and I don't have to stand in line very long (or at all) when
working DX or S&Ping DX in contests.  I have no trouble working EU or West
Coast on 80m and I am nowhere even remotely close to water.

 

I review and compare RBN results after any major contest and my 80m signal
is either on-par (at times) or maybe only down a cpl dB over the loudest of
the Maine remotes or Maritime Canada 'Island' Super stations with their
megabuck installations.

 

It was money well invested.

 

If all you care about is working W's and Carib on 80m in contests, go with
the inverted V (I can't imagine having 2 interlaced will make more than a
passing difference )

 

If you want to be a bit louder and have directional capability, I can
recommend the ComTek 4-Squares.

 

I posted all the gorey details a cpl yrs ago of my very compromised
installation as I am restricted where I can install all of the stuff but it
was $$ well spent at Tim's workplace ;-)

 

GL - Mike VE9AA..no towers here at all...just short trees..that's it !

 

 

<snip>

Since the last guy point is at 96 ft I could have two inverted Vees apexed
at 

96 feet down to around 60 ft on the ends, at right angles to each other.
That 

would give me the ability to switch directions and gain/lose around 5-10 db.

 

Second choice is to have a full size wire vertical with 60 full sized
radials 

over average ground.

 

Third choice is more complex-  a wire 4 square but...although the SE and SW 

facing verticals would be pretty close to having a good radial system The NE


<snip>

 

Bill KH7XS/K4XS  (soon to be V31XX)

 

Location of the station is V31 and interest is contesting and DXing

 

 

Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB