[Elecraft] "Random wire" vs Buddystick - myth, bias or luck?

[Vic Rosenthal]

Michael,

If received signals are stronger on the wire, almost certainly transmitted ones are too.

If you really want to know which is better, arrange some way to switch between them quickly so you can do an a-b comparison. With the K3's tuner, this is easy, but I believe the KX3 tuner only has one output, so you have to use an external switch. Keep in mind that the antennas will have different radiation patterns, of course.

Vic 4X6GP 

> On 29 Sep 2016, at 08:01, Michael A. Wong <michaelwong at mac.com> wrote:
> 
> Hey folks,
> 
> KX3 and Buddistick owner here. I've been getting a lot of feedback that I would get better performance (more contacts) with a random wire vs my Buddistick. So, while I've noticed that reception is much better with the wire, with the Buddistick, I get 1.1:1 according to the KX3 and have made all my contacts with the Buddistick.
> 
> Now, recognizing the DIY nature of our hobby might lead people to recommend a random wire over a commercial antenna, if I actually manage to deploy the wire "optimally", should I really see performance equal or outpace the Buddistick? Or am I simply finding bad luck the times I try to get a QSO over a wire?
> 
> I've tried deploying from a 30' pole sloping down, the hypotenuse of the triangle pointing to my desired direction. I tried deploying 40+ feet between two trees about 12' off the ground. Now I'm going to get a Zebco 202 and rig up my slingshot to deploy vertical. But honestly, I can get the Buddistick up and running in about 3 minutes....
> 
> Mainly, I'm on 20m and maybe I haven't read the right book on random wire antennas, but I would appreciate the group's thoughts. 
> 
>