In a message dated 99-10-11 08:58:25 EDT, audone@varonaguido.com writes:
> I have built a tower (85 feet high) with an Hy-gain 3 elements for 40
> meters.
> I have spent a lot of money and time but the results are not so good.
> The antenna in trasmission is ok but for me is not the same in receiving.
> A lot of time when I call, stations listen me and give me very high reports
> but I listen them very very loud. Dx stations said me that a lot of people
> is
> calling me but I don't listen them.
> Am I asking too much ?
> Is because it is not a full-size antenna ?
> The tower is not high ?
I have had the same experience (especially on the low bands) myself but
in my opinion it's not related to the antenna.
I think the main issues are propagation, arrival angle and skip zone.
You might be loud to many stations but they may have 1-way propagation, they
might be coming in at an arrival angle where you have a null on your antenna
(especially if they are using a ground plane or vertical) or you may not be
in THEIR skip zone. A station 20 miles away many times will hear things that
you don't, and vice versa.
I've been generally not happy with linear loaded 40M antennas. While they
do have their limitations, yours is probably working about as well as can be
expected.
My advice is to put up one or two other 40M antennas. The secret to
EFFECTIVENESS on any band is to have a CHOICE of antennas. In your case, I'd
suggest a GP and maybe even a lower dipole. Since your 40M antenna is
relatively high-angle, the GP should hear the low-angle stations much better.
Then you can start working some of those 'unheard' stations.
Cheers & GL, Steve K7LXC
Tower Tech
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