[Ham-Mac] New House Ground

[Brian Short]

I think we probably agree that the one drawback with
horizontal antennas at 80m is that they need to be about
100 feet high unless what is desired is an extremely high
angle of radiation for some reason (and there are valid
reasons).

The Low Band DX by ON4UN is quite good as is the
Beverage Handbook, see:
http://www.k7on.com/references/books.htm

It really is a big subject, but I still prefer slopers. :)

On Saturday, Dec 20, 2003, at 10:23 America/Phoenix, Chuck Counselman 
wrote:

> At 7:44 PM -0700 12/18/03, Brian Short wrote:
>> Personally, on 80m, I like a half sloper or sloping vertical....
>> The best antenna I have ever tried was a 5/8 vertical supported
>> by a balloon and with elevated radials.
>
> Having just written that a horizontal balanced doublet is best, I feel 
> compelled to defend my opinion.
>
> First I'll concede that 5/8 vertical with elevated radials is an 
> excellent antenna for transmitting.  However, (1) few of us can erect 
> a tower that tall; and (2) I've used balloons but they are impractical 
> for long-term use.
>
> Moreover, (3) if you could support a horizontal balanced doublet 5/8 
> wavelength above ground, it'd radiate even better at low elevation 
> angles than the vertical would; and (4) for _receiving_, an antenna 
> which is both horizontal and balanced beats a vertical, because the 
> _noise_ field is predominantly vertically polarized.
>
> A sloping antenna has azimuthal directivity, which can be good or bad 
> depending on whether you want to work stations in one direction or in 
> all directions.  However, because it is (1) not horizontal and (2) not 
> balanced with respect to ground, it is a noisier receiving antenna 
> than a horizontal balanced doublet.
>
> AFAIK, the only exception to the rule that horizontal balanced 
> antennas receive better is the Beverage antenna, which can't be beat 
> for 160 meters.  Its superiority for 80 m is less clear.
>
> For 160 m, a vertical with a good ground system works well for 
> transmitting.  On 80 m and even more strongly for higher-frequency 
> bands, a horizontal balanced antenna at the same height beats a 
> vertical antenna for both transmitting and receiving.
>
> -Chuck, W1HIS