Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] Chicken Wire Ground Screen

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Chicken Wire Ground Screen
From: K4SAV <RadioIR@charter.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:23:48 -0500
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Getting 10 dB gain over a modest antenna system can sometimes be very 
expensive.  I just figured what it would take to get 10 dB more gain 
than my XM240 at 66 ft over my terrain, which is sloping ground.  An 8 
element 40 M Yagi at 150 ft would do it for low angle signals (below 12 
degrees) but wouldn't do it for higher angle signals.   There is no 
stack solution possible for my terrain.  A 24 element 40 M Yagi at 70 ft 
would do it for both low angle and high angle signals, although I would 
have a lot less coverage because of the narrow beamwidth.  Anyone want 
to figure the cost of that world record custom made antenna, the custom 
rotator, the custom tower and to hold it, and the installation?
:-)
Jerry, K4SAV

WA3GIN wrote:
> Easy Dave,
>
> Its all subjective at the end of the day in Ham Radio via email... there 
> just isn't sub-text or body language to help clarify statements.
>
> Enjoy,
> dave
> wa3gin
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David Gilbert" <xdavid@cis-broadband.com>
> To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 6:52 PM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Chicken Wire Ground Screen
>
>
>   
>> I really, really wish people would stop making generalities like that
>> regarding amps versus antennas.  Every situation is different, and many
>> don't even come close to supporting that statement.  Here are two
>> hypothetical examples:
>>
>> 1.  Somebody has a 50 foot tree in the back yard of his suburban lot
>> with a couple of dipoles hung from it, oriented in different directions
>> and fed with 100 watts on 40m through 15m via a tuner.  He's going to
>> hear most stuff just fine, and the $800 bucks he spends on a good used
>> amplifier is going to be far more cost effective for making contacts
>> than whatever he would have to spend to put up a tower, tribander, and a
>> shorty-40.  Less visual impact on the neighborhood as well.
>>
>> 2.  Somebody on a large acreage has a decent vertical antenna capable of
>> tuning both 160m and 80m with a switchable L-network.  He can spend a
>> few hundred dollars for a used amp, lay out a few BOGs or build a
>> rotatable loop (pennant, K9AY, etc) for better receive, and end up with
>> a 10 db signal versus the maybe 5 db stronger signal he'd get from
>> spending the same amount of money on a 4-square or any reasonable
>> alternative.
>>
>> I'm not knocking the advantages of better antennas, and if you check my
>> web site you'll see that I just sunk a hefty chunk of money into mine
>> within the last 18 months, but I think the cost effectiveness versus an
>> amp is an exaggerated generality.
>>
>> 73,
>> Dave   AB7E
>>
>>
>>
>> Its from Onion wrote:
>>     
>>> As we all have learned every dollar spent on a antenna equals 5 spent on
>>> a amp.  cant hear 'em=cant work 'em but it QRM's people that can.
>>>
>>> IMHO
>>>
>>> Lee
>>> KE4VYN
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>       


_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>