I do have K9AY loop system, and it did get some direction from it, had
it on the only place it can go in a side yard but was too close to lots
of metal objects and power lines. Basically useless so I'm holding on to
it as we have our eye on a few properties out in the country so believe
me, if the move happens I've to lots of wire and aluminum to put up.
4-square on 80m, play around with bent vertical 160 4-square around a
tower, and 2 bi-directional beverages.
73, Mike Kovacich - VE3CKO
On 10/22/2017 11:51 AM, K4SAV wrote:
*Mike, while reading your message on Towertalk, I decided to give you
a few of my thoughts on 160 antennas.**
**
**You could be right about the inverted L not having enough punch with
only 2 radials, especially if those radials are on the ground. I tied
that once with a couple of radials on the ground. It was terrible.
I think K2AVs folded counterpoise is probably a good choice for those
on city lots and don't have a lot of room. He seems to do very well
with it and others that have tried it report the same. I haven't
tried it myself. If you do that, be sure to construct it exactly as
he describes. The operation of that system, especially the
transformer, is not obvious.**
**
**Receiving is always a problem on 160 and it makes a huge difference
in working someone if you can hear them well. Noise from a city is
difficult to solve when you live in or near a city. Best solution is
to clean up the noise from your own house and find a way to put up
some kind of receiving antenna. That can also be difficult when you
don't have much space. **
**
**If you have local noise from just one direction, a receiving loop
can be used to null that. If the noise comes from all directions or
is atmospheric noise, a loop won't help very much. The first level of
receiving antennas consist of the single element loops, like a K9AY,
flag, pennant, delta, diamond, etc. Those all perform about the same
because they all work like two short phased verticals. The main
difference between those is in the effort to construct them and the
difference in their susceptibility to common mode noise from the
feedline (which is always a major concern with low gain receiving
antennas). Note: The K9AY is the easiest to construct if you want the
capability to switch directions. The ones that use a ground rod, are
easier to control the common mode noise.**
**
**There is an antenna called a double half delta (DHDL). Put "DHDL
antenna" into Google and you will get several hits. It takes up a lot
less space than a BOG or Beverage and works very well. It works best
when that bottom wire is near the ground, maybe about 2 ft from
ground. That is the only thing I don't like about it. This antenna
should beat a short Beverage or BOG. They come in various sizes. You
will need two supports of at least 20 ft high to construct a good one
for 160.**
**
**I have been playing with BOGs for years and they are good receiving
antennas, although they may be too long for a city lot. I have tried
various lengths and found anything between about 200 ft to 370 feet to
be good on 160 and 80. The shorter end of that range works a little
better on 40. I live in a rural area and don't have a city noise
problem. I attached a short mp3 file that I made of 3C0L on 160.
That was made with a 365 ft BOG. At the time I was making this
recording when listening on my inverted L, the noise was about the
same level as their signal.**
**
**Another step up with small receiving antennas is to phase some of
the single element antennas. I have phased EWEs for 4 directions.
Those are small but they are more difficult to construct. They work
very well and I can leave them up all the time, unlike the BOGs, which
have to to rolled up during the summer.**
**
**Then there are the commercial receiving antennas consisting of
active verticals. Those work well but you will have to part with some
bucks for those. Occasionally I think about constructing a system
like that, but then I am reminded of the AM radio station about 1700
ft from my antennas that would probably overload it. I also have a
lot of lightning, which would probably take out the active circuits of
this antenna, even with close strikes. So I think it would not work
at my location.**
**
**Good luck with the 160 problems. Only until the last 12 years have
I been able to get away from the city and move to a location that is a
lot more friendly to radio. I know the problems with living on a city
lot.**
**
**Got to get ready for the next major DX operation, 3Y0Z, Bouvet Is,
last of January. That will be huge. It will be a difficult path
(significantly worse than West Africa) but at least we will have a
chance because there is significant time of common darkness between us
and them.**
**
**Jerry, K4SAV*
On 10/22/2017 8:41 AM, Mike VE3CKO wrote:
I've got 3C0L on 17m, 15m and 12m but the challenge is as always top
band. I have an inverted-L with just a couple radials at this time.
Noise floor at my QTH in the city is just so high with the inverted-L
and could not hear 3C0L but when I switch to an experimental vertical
setup which right now is just a 20' 2" aluminum mast on a 4 x 4 post
8' high with a K2AV FCP (80m), 3C0L was very readable much of the
night. Using the 20' vertical as a receive antenna and the inverted-L
as the resonant tx antenna even with the help of an Alpha 87A, I too
was unsuccessful when he was making stateside and the odd VE
contacts. I did spend too much time during time frame he was working
the EU. I blame the lack of radials.
If we end up staying at this QTH I will certainly try a 160m folded
counterpoise.
73, Mike Kovacich - VE3CKO
On 10/17/2017 12:29 PM, Charlie Young wrote:
My station has not been configured for Topband for this season yet.
All rx antennas are disconnected/removed and my inverted L has not
been inspected yet. Usually the elevated radials need maintenance
after the summer if the wire is still up.
I saw 3C0L spotted for some time but did not listen because of the
antenna situation. After finally deciding to listen, the station
on 1821 was so strong there was no way it could be 3C0L. But it
was. I thought it was a NA signal.
Found that my inverted L VSWR was good, which indicated the antenna
was still up and the elevated radials were still intact. The pileup
was big and wide, but he seemed to be working folks above 1830 so we
parked on a frequency and started calling. Glad to work him for a
new 160 Challenge point.
Great operator and signal. For the time I was listening he was at
least 2 S units above my noise, many times peaking over S9 on my
inverted L. Whatever he was running sure did the job on Topband,
plus he was hearing well also.
GL in the chase.
73 Charlie N8RR
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