[Elecraft] Evaluating antennas

[Ken Kopp]

Given all the discussion about the various antennas ....

I do wire antenna seminars at conventions and hamfests, and
usually in some way tell my audience the following:

NO antenna is ever high enough! (:-)

Many years ago ... 50+ ... I put up (too) many antennas in
the quest for the perfect radiator, and I offer the following
observation.

No antenna should be "written off" without a long period of
evaluation ... perhaps several weeks or more.  At the time I 
was in hot pursuit of "something better" and would change
an antenna too often ... even from one day to the next.

I eventually learned that there are many factors that can influence
how well antenna will work for you.  I didn't understand about
the fickle ways of the propogation gods, sunspots, the antenna's
surroundings, etc. and that these factors will deternine how your 
new antenna will work to a greater degree than what "kind" of 
antenna it is.

I have four 100' towers and some of today's "best" antennas
fed with "hardline", but if I had to choose only one it would be 
the 80M half-wave at 65' that's fed with home-made open wire 
and a Johnson Matchbox.

73! Ken Kopp - K0PP
k0pp at arrl.net
or
k0pp at ixpres.com



Ken Kopp - K0PP
k0pp at arrl.net
or
k0pp at ixpres.com