[TowerTalk] Square Quad Loop

[Byron Tatum]

Seeking Advice -     I have studied the square quad loop (wire hung in a vertical plane) a lot in ON4UN's fifth edition Low Band DX'ing HB. I am considering installing one for the low end of 80 meters for DX CW work. My thoughts are to install one in-between two towers. The towers are 130' and 110' and about 100' apart. No guy wires are in the run where the loop would be.     What I cannot decide upon is whether to feed the loop for vertical or horizontal polarity. I have studied the charts extensively in the ON4UN HB. I looked on the US soil conductivity map for my area, in Houston County near Crockett, TX. It shows a poor soil conductivity, a 4. The best conductivity shown is 30 and the worst is 2. I was surprised at this as I see traces of iron ore in the ground in spots. I have dug quite a few holes, most 5 feet deep, here on this 8 acres and have not encountered a seam of iron ore but find a fair amount of ironstone chunks.      According to the info in ON5UN's HB the vertically polarized quad loop is the best DX antenna BUT it needs good soil conductivity to perform well. The vertically polarized quad loop does not benefit much from increasing the height of the loop, it mainly benefits from good soil conductivity. Since I could get the bottom wire about 25' to 30' above the ground I am considering the horizontally polarized quad loop as the radiation angle does decrease some as you get it higher and the gain increases some too. Still, though the horizontally polarized quad loop appears to be no better than a 40 degree or so angle with most radiation at higher angles.     Thought I would ask if anyone here has tried these antennas and might have any recommendations. Also am curious if I should accept soil conductivity figures on map or attempt to find out my conductivity by other means before ruling out vertically polarized quad loop.Thanks,Byron W5FH