>From ve9aa / Mike-
I just wanted to echo what Bill/ W0ZV was
saying about a high angle radiator.
2 years ago, when I was "hot-n-horny" about 160m
I put up a slew of 160m antennas all at once.
I am on 1 acre out in the country, in and around marshland.
I had an inverted L, apex at around 55', end sloping to the south.
At the time , I also had a full size dipole @ 40'
A full size 1-wave loop, top @ 40', bottom @ 2' (yes 2')
1000' beverage ne/sw,& a 700' bev se/nw-bidirectionals
And a loaded sloper, to the SE, off my 48' tower.
Well, one night, just at sunset, a 9m8 (forget the exact call)
was literally banging in on cw on 1824 or thereabouts.
Here on the ve1 dx cluster were gathered ve1yx, ve1dx, ve1zz
etc. you know the gang. Of all of them, for about 15 minutes
I had the best copy by far. On which antenna you say?
>>>the lowly dipole! I never did make the QSO, but I think he actually
peaked 579 or 589. (I had a problem with the ft102 at the time
and no amp.) Also, I don't think ve1zz had up a dipole for TOP band.
I have been to Jacks' and WHAT A FARM!
The other guys snagged the 9m8 and thanked me for alerting them to
his presence, but I never did work him, hi hi!
Moral;
don't ever rule out a (low) dipole.
I have encountered this phenomenon a number of times, usually
at sunset. Anyone know the mechanics on this one?
Certain condx also make a low beam on 6m outperform a longer
higher yagi, but I understand this one pretty well, and I guess THIS
IS the Top Band Reflector. Maybe another day...............-MIKE
Michael & Coreen Smith (AA Antennas & Wynder Photography)
271 Smith Rd, Waterville,
Sunbury Co.,NB, Canada
E2V 2G3
Vhf buffs;
See the *NEW* AA Antenna web page at:
http://members.tripod.com/~ve9aa/index.html
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