[Lowfer] "WE" back to normal power...

[Bill Ashlock]

Mike,

>I found last night by driving around within a mile of the antenna, that
>there is a good lobe in the N/S direction and lobes at SE, SW, NW, and >NE. 
>I would think it would work at your heading. Archie is SE of me >and he 
>sees my signal pretty much as strong as Lyles

Unless there is something unusual about your loop (and that's not likely) 
You have a very simple figure 8 radiation patten. In other words there are 
two major lobes and a null off to either side. At the four 45deg directions 
from the loop the signal will be down 30% or -3db. You can't drive around in 
within a mile of the antenna and expect to see this because you are not far 
enough to be in the so-called far-field pattern. I'd figure to be at least 
1.5mi to have a good chance at this. If you have a E-field measuring antenna 
readings will be effected by trees within 100ft of this antenna so look for 
open areas - even shopping center parking lots work nicely. A portable loop 
antenna would not be affected by trees but it is much harder to manage out 
on the road so I stick with the mag-mount E-probe for all measurements.

>Archie is SE of me and he sees my signal pretty much as strong as >Lyles.

Considering you are 152 miles from Archie, giving up 3db due to the loop 
pattern, and Lyle is 220mi from Archie, this isn't too bad. With another 3db 
that you would gain with an RG-8 conductor it would put you amongst the 
better beacon signals!

Bill




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