[MRCA] B & W AC-2-22

[D. Platt]

Gentlemen,

As a fairly long-term user of several of the 90' versions of this 
antenna, let me just add my anecdotal findings.  The antenna does 
function as a wide-band antenna fairly well from 3 MHz to about 25 MHz.  
Below 3 MHz it fails to do much of anything and the VSWR rises 
rapidly.   I'm in an organization that utilizes ALE and this antenna 
does provide broadband coverage.  Does it outperform anything short of a 
wet string?  Yes, it does.  I've found that wet strings are unreliable, 
in all cases.  I have read that the antenna works best as a sloper, 
although my setup is as a horizontal dipole.

Now, that said, let me add some additional observations.  Someone 
mentioned high power as being a requirement for success with this, and 
similar antennas.  My experience using a Motorola 100 watt MICOM SSB ALE 
radio is less that satisfactory.  Using the above combination, the ERP 
(VSWR, losses, et al) amounts to values from about 20 watts, upwards to 
maybe... maybe 60-70 watts.  Understand that the Motorola has a fixed, 
50 Ohm output Z.  Thus, except for when propagation conditions are 
optimum, the setup is generally unreliable.   I contrast this with what 
I use (normally) for point-to-point HF communications and on these same 
frequencies of interest.  In this case, I use an ERP of about 400 watts 
via resonant antennas.  I find that reliability rises to a point of 
being totally useful.  Now, I also use the B&W, when necessary, with 
truly decent results.  The power level is the key.  I've tried to 
explain this to our "higher" but with little or no success.   The 
Motorola equipment was funded and procured and that's what we have... 
end of message......   So, as Patton was want to say... "Well, they have 
their schedules and I have mine".   I'll continue to use what works...

Jeep - K3HVG