Re: Walters and Stanton


Magnum 2E0YSU wrote:

No, seriously it is for 10m. When the band is open I will be out there
somewhere on high ground with my 4 ele, my Ranger and a diddy amp to get me
up to 50W. When the band is open I wouldn't even need 50W but it is nice to
know it is there should it be required.
Remember, I am 2E0 not 2M0 ;o)

As part of the self-training and the passing-on of knowledge from the
older to the younger generation, I suggest you try the following on
your expedition.

It involves a little planning and forethought, but should help you to
get even better results.

What is important isn't so much *high* ground, as ground that is free
of obstructions and, critically, slopes in the direction you want to
work. The reason for the slope is that all aerials (in the context of
HF) interact with the ground, in such a way as the deflect the
direction of maximum radiation away from the horizontal. The result is
that for a high yagi and typical soil conditions, the beam is
deflected upwards - a figure of eight degrees would be 'good', ten or
fifteen more common.

This is important because getting your signals to the distant station
using less intermediate 'hops' will reduce the total losses caused by
each reflection from the ground and the ionosphere,. Therefore you
need to ensure your signal reaches the ionosphere at the most obtuse
angle you can arrange. Due to the height of the ionosphere, and the
size of the earth, this angle has a limit, in the high seventies
degrees. It is degraded by the 'extra' angle of your radiation lobe.
The difference is that because of the degredation caused by the ground
about your aerial, the path to the distant station might then need
more 'hops', and consequently has more losses.

So, fewer hops are better.

To defeat this ground effect, set up your aerial, pointing in the
direction you want to work, on a steep slope also pointing in that
direction. Steep? Well, if your lobe is fifteen degrees from the
vertical, you need a downwards slope of the same magnitude - at that's
steep. The upwards deflection of your radiation is now countered by
the downwards slope of the ground, the net result being that your
signal is now launched (more or less) horizontally, ensuring your
signal reaches the ionosphere at the shallowest possible angle and
resulting in the fewest number of hops.

But this also works on receive, and if you're sharp you'll be set up
well before the band opens, as for the arrangement described, the band
will open for you before those who cannot use the sloping-ground
effect. You work the DX a) before the others and b) with a stronger
signal both ways.

Simple, innit?

Have a great time.
--
from
Aero Spike
.

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