I've been using a top loaded shorty vertical on 160 for about 3 years now.
It's 68' of Rohn 25 with another 12' of mast (80' total) a tribander at 70'
and some VHF stuff on top. I'm in central Minnesota.
I can count on one hand the number of domestic/Caribbean stations I couldn't
work at 100 watts, even though I've only got 8 - 50' radials stitched into
the sod. Why only 8? I'm lazy! This summer I intend to correct that to
lower the radiation angle. How many? Not sure yet--it depends on how
ambitious I get.
My question is this: Several recent comments have been made about take-off
angle and DX. Is there such a thing as "too low" a take off angle? You
guys with a bazzillion radials do you find that local/domestic work becomes
compromised? If so, does it make sense to set a ring around the base of the
tower, hook the bulk of the radials to the ring, and switch it into the
system for DX work? My gut tells me that I will never hear any difference.
Ford-NØFP
ford@cmgate.com
|