[TowerTalk] Truth, Fiction, or Fantasy?

[Lee Hiers]

On Tue, Apr 26, 2022 at 3:09 PM N1BUG <paul at n1bug.com> wrote:


> Of thsoe who are on HF, more than half seem to be happy with simple wire
> antennas and have no interest in having or learning about anything else.


Speaking for myself only, for the past dozen years or so, I've used nothing
but wire antennas:  verticals, EFHW, ladder-line fed doublets, and coax-fed
dipoles.  I've worked a lot of stuff and been pretty happy.  And that's
running no more than 5 Watts until last December.

I've had up a tower with a tribander and 2 element shorty-forty and been
pretty happy with that.

I'm at a crossroads right now, trying to balance the dollar/energy outlay
of a tower with some sort of Yagis vs. continuing with wire antennas.  I
don't know a *lot* about antennas, but I do know a bit.  And I've learned a
lot, while only having the wires up.  I've also operated from big contest
stations over the years and experienced much nicer antenna systems that I
could ever have on my own.

I guess what I'm saying is to not confuse those who have *chosen* simple
antennas with those who don't know about antennas.  Some of us make very
conscious trade-offs and, yes, can be happy with simple wires.

Today, I'm leaning toward the tower...tomorrow, I may be back on the
wires.  ;-)

73 de Lee, AA4GA