[Lowfer] SIW capture in EN90xn

[Michael Sapp]

Gary & All

 >Mike, that's impressive reception for the daytime. Assuming your grid is 
>EN91kt, I figure the path length to the beacon in EN51uq is a bit over 
>370 miles.

EN90xn here---next hilltop NE of the location from where I was located when we made a QRPp
SSB QSO on 432 MHz in that Nov 1986 big tropo opening.......I had my 1W FT-790 padded down to 
200u W or something along those lines at the time......

EN91kt is the Perry Park Lake Erie location for 10GHz dxing near Mentor Ohio....I'm 120mi SSE of there...
9~10 miles N of Pittsburgh PA. Heard plenty of NDBs with my Benmar 555 last August between 10GHz
contacts from EN91kt tho....

Interesting capture on 185.3 this afternoon 'cuz the SW EWE is pointed about 220 deg and I would have a 3~5 dB disadvantage towards
Chicago, so the wx may have been contributing to enhancement at LF....

I added a ground wire between the 18' x 70' x 18' EWE antenna ground rods the other day (effectively a grounded terminated loop), not sure if that change made a difference for the capture this afternoon---it will take a few weeks of listening to evaluate the change.....
EZ-NEC says if I unground the current grounded terminated loop configuration (bottom segment just above or lying on ground) the F/B ratio should increase substantially.....likely a next experiment....

Neat stuff, thanks Gary, 73, Mike wa3tts