[Elecraft] Rhombic antenna "gain"

[Jim Brown]

On 9/13/2019 4:18 PM, donovanf at starpower.net wrote:
> To compound the design compromises, the r hombic termination
> resistor throws away nearly 3 dB of whatever gain it might achieve.

When our senior EE class toured Crosley's Mason, OH VOA site in 1964, 
the engineers were quite proud of their modification to the design that 
fed the termination power back into the feedpoint. All that remains of 
that spectacular station is the transmitter building. When we toured it, 
there were >25 rhombics and two Sterba Curtains. 10-15 years ago, my son 
worked as the manager for a restaurant/bar on the land where the antenna 
farm used to be.  Several years ago, I drove by the VOA station at 
Delano, CA, about 45 miles S of Visalia. At least some of the antenna 
farm was still there, but inquiry told me that the transmitters were 
"somewhere in South America." At the time, I had hopes of arranging a 
tour for Visalia DX Convention attendees.

There are still some shore stations along the Pacific coast with 
rhombics. The KPH TX and RX stations are 30-40 miles apart. There's 
another RX station along Rte 1 S of Half Moon Bay, with an associated TX 
station around Palo Alto.

73, Jim K9YC