[ILQSO] Re: antennas for ILQP

[dpease at adams.net]

I agree, propogation is needed for any antenna, just some antennas do better 
under certain conditions. 

If propogation doesn't favor the short stuff on 40, we need to concentrate 
more on 75/80, which is what Hank has been trying to tell us. The low 80 
meter antenna will benefit as much if not more with a wire reflector on the 
ground under it for the short range stuff.  As far a mobile goes, 75/80 is 
pretty tough regardless. 

Danny 


James Funk writes: 

> K8MR is correct: if the propagation isn't there, it doesn't matter what
> you use! 
> 
> Probably the best prop I ever saw in ILQP was about six years ago (I
> forget exactly) when I was at a corner in extreme southern IL.  My
> primary antenna was a trapped dipole, 65 long or so, at a height of
> about 30', with the ends east and west.  It wasn't an especially "good
> antenna" in terms of efficiency, but the prop gods were smiling. I could
> not only work mobiles all over the state on 40 and 80, I was working
> stations all over the Midwest (some within 250 miles) on  20, 15 and 10!
> In the last half hour of the contest, I moved several northern IL and IN
> stations through five bands. 
> 
> Mobile antennas are notoriously inefficient.  I've heard estimates for
> most "conventional" 80 meter mobile antennas (Hustler, Hamstick) that
> are under 3%.  If anybody can create something for a mobile with a bit
> higher angle of radiation (that can still be transported down the road!)
> they will probably do better in-state than with a vertical.  The
> tradeoff may be a weaker signal out beyond 500 miles. 
> 
> In many, MANY hours of working stations on the county hunter nets, I
> know there is a tremendous difference in the signal strengths of the
> different mobile stations at approximately the same distances, with no
> apparent reason (same sorts of antennas).  Propagation changes are more
> noticeable when the signals are weak to begin with.   
> 
> One thing that would be worthwhile this year is for some of the fixed
> stations to make some quick notes on which mobiles were strong and which
> were not so we can do some comparisons afterwards and maybe all learn
> something!   
> 
> Fun! 
> 
> 73, Jim N9JF 
> 
> FOSS Fifty & First 
> 
> FOSS is celebrating 50 years Jubilee in 2006. 
> 
> Help us celebrate, take part in the FOSS jubilee competition and win a trip to Greenland. 
> 
> Check it out on www.foss.dk 
> 
>  
> 
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Danny Pease
dpease at adams.net 

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