[Lowfer] LF reception and other misc stuff

[ToddRoberts2001 at aol.com]

I am using a Ratzlaff active whip. Biggest improvement in my reception  was
getting it above 10 feet and away from the house and in the clear. On  VLF
a signal reading S-7 with an S-5 noise level at 10 feet improved to  an
S-9+ and an S-2 noise level after I raised it up to 40 feet off the ground. 
 Once I
got above 30-35 feet high the improvement seemed to level off. 
 
Nearby trees didn't seem to affect it too adversely once I got  the
antenna up to 40 ft above ground level. In fact it is hoisted up into a 
nearby pine tree using rope over a high tree branch. I am using RG213
for the downlead back to the house.
 
If it looks like a bad lightning storm I disconnect the RG213 from inside  
the 
house and coil it up on the ground away from the house. So far I have  lost
2 front-end Fets from nearby lightning hits but the Fets can be  replaced. 
The
input Fet is now protected by a relay that grounds the whip when  unpowered.
 
73 - Todd WD4NGG
 
 
 
In a message dated 9/26/2012 6:59:27 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  w4j
bm at bellsouth.net writes:

I first placed it about 20' from the house. I was using military surplus  
tent 
poles and I had it up around 25' for a while. There were woods and the  
house 
pretty much at that level and I was finding that putting it higher led  to 
better 
performance. It's interesting you word your question "signal to  noise" 
because 
the noise floor was pretty consistent, but the signals would  increase in 
strength as I increased height.

Eventually I moved it so  it is roughly 50' from the house. It's up around 
35' 
now. That put it above  nearby trees and such. There was a noticeable 
difference 
as I hoisted it up  a section at a time until I got to above the 
trees--then it 
pretty much  stayed the same. I brought it down to 35' for stability..