[Lowfer] Lowfer TAG

[N8OOU]

John,

The loop experiments I did a few years ago, on the 3 LF bands convinced 
me that the trees had little impact on the loop coverage.

I believe the Marconi style vertical for the Lowfer, is impacted by tree 
sap and leaves. This is based on the grabber captures from the same 
stations over the 4 seasons.

My theory is that a weed will short out an electric field, but not 
block magnetism.

73   de   N8OOU - Mike Meek

On 10/1/23 18:39, John Andrews wrote:
> Thanks for the reports. I'm seeing a fairly lousy signal in MA at 130 
> miles, worse than last year, despite the same antenna and a little more 
> antenna current.
> 
> I've been pondering a theory in the last year or so. There are two 
> differences between Bill Ashlock's loops and mine. One, he experimented 
> with copper tubing/piping as a conductor, and some of those versions 
> were likely better than my RG-8 shield conductor. I have no reliable 
> memory of which combinations produced what, but his signal was at worst 
> much better than what I've gotten from the TAG loop in Maine.  Two, he 
> had some oaks and maples nearby, not all pines the way I have at the TAG 
> QTH in Maine. On that second theme, my experience with xmit loops at the 
> Massachusetts QTH was pretty  good, and it's all oak trees there, no pines.
> 
> Continuing to pine away... This has been an unusual year for the 100 
> foot plus pine trees at the TAG site. We have had a massive pine pitch 
> problem at ground level, especially in the unusually warm period in 
> early to mid September. The stuff got all over everything. It's been bad 
> before, but never like that. The trees also have massive loads of pine 
> cones at their tops. Some have come down already, but it's early for big 
> drops unless the wind gets really wild.
> 
> Note that an older version of the TAG loop was supported on one end by a 
> very big Poplar tree. That tree had to be removed maybe 5 years ago, and 
> I have since had to rely more on pines.
> 
> So I'm wondering about the effect of an unusual amount of pine sap in 
> those trees this year. I suspect the stuff must be a disaster as a 
> dielectric. Maybe I'll make some measurements. Could those big, lossy 
> conductors holding up and standing near the loop keep the various 
> e-fields from forming?
> 
> Interesting stuff.
> 
> John, W1TAG
> 
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