[Lowfer] XR las tnight

[jrusgrove at comcast.net]

Andy

Thanks for the info.

At this location, on 137 kHz, several 8' ground rods are more effective than single wire or even 
chicken wire radials. The EU stations have found, and my measurements agree, that one wants to 
concentrate on the ground system directly under the tophat. The final configuration here (best for 
137 and 500 kHz) is a combination of ground rods and chicken wire radials (that are rolled out once 
grass mowing has finished for the season - about now).

The ground comparison measurements here were made using a GR516C impedance bridge and an HP3586C as 
the generator/detector. With this equipment it's a simple matter to connect various ground schemes 
and directly measure their effectiveness by looking at the antenna resistance. Simple homebrew 
bridges decribed over the years would work just as well. The same comparison can also be done using 
the transmitter and antenna current but it's less convenient since one must be careful to keep the 
power constant and retune for resonance with each change.

Will keep an open for XR and all other lowfers this winter. Thanks to all for the signal sources - I 
use them frequenctly to test and improve my receiving setup.

Jay


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andy - KU4XR" <ku4xr at yahoo.com>
To: " European & UK) and MedFer bandsDiscussion of the Lowfer (US" <lowfer at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2009 9:11 PM
Subject: Re: [Lowfer] XR las tnight


> Hi Jay and all:
>
> I fall into the eternal tinkerer catagory. I am continuously
> trying to get another needle width of output and stay at the
> 1 watt input level. I'm pretty well " Maxed Out " I currently
> have so many wires in the top-hat that the weight is causing
> it to start to sag. ( won't be nice with ice !! ) About the
> only thing I haven't tried yet, but thinking about, is laying
> a few insulated radials, and driving in at least 3, 8 foot
> grounding rods each 45* apart, with a perimeter wire. I am
> currently using bare aluminum fence wire, on the ground, with
> no perimeter wire. I don't think this would actually help to
> increase the output, but might help me some with the wet ground
> problems. Not sure, but thinking about trying it just to see.
>
> Jay; thanks for looking, I appreciate it.  73 to all :::
>
> Andy - KU4XR - EM75xr - Friendsville, TN.
> LOWfer Beacon " XR " @ 185.29893 KHz ( QRSS-60 )
> Coordinates:  N:  35* 43' 54" - W:  84* 3' 16"
> http://www.myspace.com/beaconxr
>
>
> --- On Thu, 10/22/09, jrusgrove at comcast.net <jrusgrove at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> From: jrusgrove at comcast.net <jrusgrove at comcast.net>
>> Subject: [Lowfer] XR las tnight
>> To: lowfer at mailman.qth.net
>> Date: Thursday, October 22, 2009, 7:37 AM
>> Fragments of XR received throughout
>> the night. Close to clean ID strength starting 0900Z.
>> Another dB
>> would make solid copy. Any improvements planned...or are
>> things max'ed out?
>>
>> Jay
>>
>>
>>
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