[Elecraft] Re: Is The antenna is everything?

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

-----Original Message-----
Tim,
There's an old addage that is still true today:
"A dollar in the antenna is worth $10 in the transmitter."
That addage applies regardless of the sunspot cycle or transmitter power
output!
--------------------------------------------------------

Unless the money is going to a manufacturer who claims that their very
expensive, often tiny little antenna, has some sort of "magic" or works =
on
some "new principle" that makes it do things a you can't do simply =
following
good design rules.=20

Never have the "snake oil" manufacturers liberated so many dollars from =
so
many people as when they sell "ham band" antennas.=20

To be sure, there are some great antenna manufacturers out there. The =
trick
is often in telling them from the others.=20

And since a wet shoelace can put an S9 signal from a QRP rig half way =
around
the world when cdx are right, the worst excuse for an antenna ever =
devised
will have plenty  of "testimonials" claiming that it works as well as 15
elements at 200 feet.=20

Ron AC7AC
K2# 1289