[MRCA] September 23 Long Range Reconnaissance Communication OpsatMRCA Meet

Sun Sep 4 15:48:30 EDT 2011

Gene,

There is no end to the configurations you could try.  I think the effect I 
am trying to test is that experienced when you are mobile and you see a 
significant, but momentary boost in your signal just before or just after 
you go under a bridge.  I am trying to establish whether you can simulate 
that with a minimum of wire.

Dale

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gene Smar" <ersmar at verizon.net>
To: "Radio Station KW1I" <kw1i at earthlink.net>; <mrca at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2011 3:08 PM
Subject: Re: [MRCA] September 23 Long Range Reconnaissance Communication 
OpsatMRCA Meet

> Dale:
>
>      Let me suggest another configuration for the counterpoise wires: 
> parallel to the dipole element itself.  Essentially, this would make it 
> look like a vertically-pointed 2-element Yagi - sort of.  And now that I'm 
> thinking of it a bit more, the parallel wire might have to be 1/2 WL + 5% 
> to make it a true Yagi reflector.  We might even want to try this on 60M, 
> too.
>
>     I've seen these sorts of configurations mentioned in the Ham on-line 
> literature.  Some even suggest raising the reflector wire off the earth by 
> 6 inches or so using plastic tent pegs or similar.  Should be fun.  I've 
> always wanted to try something like this myself but never got a round 
> tuit.
>
> 73 de
> Gene Smar  AD3F
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Radio Station KW1I" <kw1i at earthlink.net>
> To: <mrca at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2011 2:48 PM
> Subject: Re: [MRCA] September 23 Long Range Reconnaissance Communication 
> OpsatMRCA Meet
>
>
> For the Long Rang Reconnaissance Comm Ops I am planning to erect a low 
> dipole for 75 meters and request signal reports with and without a 
> counterpoise.  The counterpoise will be four 60 ft wires and two 33 ft 
> wires symmetrically oriented in a radial pattern centered on the middle of 
> the dipole.  The counterpoise will be laid out on the lawn at least a half 
> wave from the antenna for baseline tests.  Three team members will then 
> pull the counterpoise by three of the wires under the antenna, space them 
> radially, and then cross over to the other three wires and space them 
> radially.  With some initial practice this should take less than 30 
> seconds.  The experiment will be repeated to offset short term propagation 
> variations.  If reports clearly indicate improvement I will try the 
> experiment with only two 60 ft wires laid under the antenna.
>
> Can't wait!
>
> Dale
> KW1I
>
>
> From: "Radio Station KW1I" <kw1i at earthlink.net>
> To: <mrca at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2011 10:33 PM
> Subject: [MRCA] September 23 Long Range Reconnaissance Communication Ops 
> atMRCA Meet
>
>
> Over the years our long range reconnaissance comm event has changed. In 
> the early years it was a group visit to Big Pocono State Park ( 17 road 
> miles, 10 air miles) to exercise various AM field sets and various 
> antennas principally to get a signal report from the MRCA base station at 
> the West End Fairgrounds. In the last few years we have divided our 
> growing group into comm teams and added Beltzville State Park (17 road 
> miles, 12 air miles), Jacobsburg State Park (17 road miles, 11 air miles) 
> and most recently Minzi Lake Park (22 road miles, 12 air miles). We still 
> have the opportunity to try our AM, SSB, CW and FM rigs on HF and VHF back 
> to base, and, in addition, to the other team locations with various 
> distances and terrain in between. In recent years we have attempted some 
> “scientific inquiry” with signal comparisons with vertical and horizontal 
> antennas and the use of Near Vertical Incidence Skywave propagation. Let's 
> continue this experimental trend this year.
>
> Some possible areas for a comm team experiment:
>
> . Comparison of a stock AS-2259 antenna to one modified to amateur 
> frequency wire lengths
>
> . Comparison of a stock AS-2259 antenna to a home brew AS-2259 
> configuration, or a simple low dipole, or another commercial antenna.
>
> . Repeat of an NVIS experiment from a couple years ago where signals were 
> compared using a dipole whose height could be rapidly changed.
>
> . Comparison of various mobile antennas, e.g. screwdriver, bug-catcher, 
> auto-tuned whip. etc.
>
> . Comparison of a whip antenna in vertical position to the same one tilted 
> at various angles
>
> . Compare operation of similarly configured half wave antennas, one end 
> fed and the other center fed.
>
> . Comparison of a low dipole with and without a counterpoise
>
> I know there are MRCA Meet attendees interested in some of these 
> experimental areas. Make your interest known by posting on the MRCA 
> reflector. You may get some comments, ideas and volunteers. You may have 
> all the gear necessary for an experiment. If not, other interested comm 
> team members may be able to bring an extra antenna, supports, coax, tuners 
> and switches to assemble an experiment and configure it for rapid signal 
> report comparisons.
>
> The MRCA base station at the West End Fairgrounds will be equipped with a 
> Stoddardt Field Strength Meter this year so that signal strength 
> differences can be measured fairly accurately in db.
>
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