[Elecraft] KPA500 question

[Scott Manthe]

Yeah, it's pretty easy to forgo that amp and just put up a small beam 
for 40-80-160...

An amp helps you be heard no matter what kind of antenna you have. I 
worked 220 countries with a home brew G5RV about 15-20 feet off the 
ground because I had an amp and couldn't put up a better antenna. If I 
could hear them, I could almost always work them. When I got a better 
antenna, the DX got easier to work.

73,
Scott, N9AA


On 5/7/14 12:07 PM, K8JHR wrote:
> As someone said in another thread, adding an amp is like going from a 
> dipole to a small beam.  But, remember that adding a better antenna 
> usually costs less and provides a two-way improvement - your amp can 
> boost your transmit signal, but does nothing to boost the received 
> signal.  An antenna with gain will improve matters both ways.
>
> Now, I am not talking you out of an amp... they have their place in 
> the shack for sure... I am only saying I would put an amp in the shack 
> only after I had installed the best, most efficient, highest gain 
> antenna system I could fit in my yard, before putting an amp on line.  
> That will assure you the best two-way improvement, and give the amp an 
> even better antenna to break the pileups.
>
> Just MY take...