K9RX wrote:
> I was wondering if there's more reviews somewhere on this antenna system?
> Anyone have one that wants to comment privately?
I might as well comment on the list since other people have been asking
recently also. I have one of the DXE 4 squares as well as 4 of their
reversible Beverage systems, for a total of 8 directions on the Beverages
with 8 separate feedlines back to the shack (for selecting any direction to
either of two radios).
The Beverages are 600' using the 450 ohm ladder line sold by DXE. The 4
square is built for the 80/160 compromise. If I recall correctly, that is
98' per side. RX antennas are located far from the TX antennas.
I've found a Beverage is the better choice most often, but there are times
when then 4 square is better. The 4 square is rarely better with regard to
signal-to-noise ratio but it does happen once in a while. When that has
happened, it has been early in the evening and it has happened on both 80
and 160. But, it almost always has much better rejection of high angle
signals which can be a big plus sometimes.
>From southwest Virginia I have to look through W3 and W1 for EU. There have
been times when relatively local key-clicky station on that path (and a
nearby frequency) was obliterating my copy of a DX station on 160. Flipping
over to the RX 4 square made it possible to copy the DX station again with
little problem; not because of better s-to-n, but because of better
rejection of the high angle local.
Overall, it's always nice to have another option even if you don't use it
often. It has made the difference between QSO and no QSO for me, so I've
been happy to have it especially when the QSOs are in a contest. To quote
my RX antenna mentor W3LPL, "you can never have too many antennas, but you
can have them too close together".
If you are limited on space it's an excellent off-the-shelf solution. My
Beverage system takes up somewhere between 6 and 8 acres. The RX 4 square
takes up 0.2 acres. Of course, if its near the TX antennas you'll need to
do something to protect the active receive components while you transmit, so
you'll either need some space for that or you'll have to rule out SO2R or
M/M contest use.
73
Tom NI1N
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