David Jones wrote:
>
> Okay, another person with a low dipole is venturing into the tower
> arena. I'm looking at a US Tower 40 or 48 foot free-standing tower, and
> then either a tribander and a separate 40 beam, or a 10-40 beam like the
> C4 or something. I have about $1200-1300 to spend on the tower, the
> antennas, and the rotators, so I can't go out and get really expensive
> stuff. Any suggestions for someone who knows almost nothing about
> towers and rotatable antennas?
>
> 73
>
>
David,
Yes, you are asking a bit much from your budget if you intend to go
with new stuff all around. But I speak from experience when I say that
getting into the DX game, even "serious" Dxing doesnt require that
much. I worked my first 100 countries on a butterfly beam mounted on a
Radio Shack mast that I turned from the ground by hand. I worked the
next 156 on a HyGain EX14 mounted on a roof tripod at 40 feet. Sure,
when the time came and I could afford it I moved on to "big" towers and
even bigger beams but ya know what, I would give it all up if I could
recapture the excitement of those first 256 countries! There is a
second advantage to stsrting small....due to the fact that you will be
DBs down from those guys with the big towers and beams and amps and what
have you, you will be forced into developing operating skills that will
eventually put you ahead of them. A smart guy with a beam at 40 feet
will beat out a slouch with stacked monbanders at 100 feet anytime in a
big pileup. Hone those skills and build that country count and then
when you do manage to get a big setup, look out! Whatever you do, enjoy
yourself on the climb up the DX ladder. Remember, once you work a new
country, you never again can get that thrill again and if you did it
with a marginal setup, the thrill is even better.
Have a great time, thats what its all about. By the way, I still have
that EX14 in the garage. I bet it has a few countries left in it if you
are interested.
73 de Matt NM9H
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