From: "WE0H" <we0h@core.com>
To: "Lowfer/Hifer Reflector" <lowfer@mailman.qth.net>, 
 rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
Subject: LF: Anything to get on the air...
Date: Sun, 3 Mar 2002 11:21:26 -0600
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I agree with Dave G3YMC as to getting on the air with whatever it takes.
Many people don't have the property to put up a good antenna. I myself have
too many trees to make a vertical work on LF, so I am building the Ashlock
loops. It doesn't matter if you have a big antenna or big amp or the best
radios, this is a hobby to enjoy with whatever we can have. If you have a
weak signal, it doesn't matter. Just enjoy being on LF, as it is better than
not being able to operate on LF at all. By using low power or having a weak
signal, it may advance the new software development, as there is a need for
it with signals below the noise floor. Just look at the US operators on LF,
they most likely could have never achieved the 2000+ mile receptions with
the legal 1-w, without using all of this great software that so many of you
generous people develop and give to us free of charge. Everyone can along
from the rich to the poor and from the best-equipped station to the
compromised station. Maybe just consider working the weaker signal stations
as a great accomplishment on your part as being able to decode their signal.
It is like chasing that rare DX station on HF that is barely readable. These
are my comments and I welcome feedback both good and bad.
73's fr,
Mike>WE0H
http://www.geocities.com/we0h/index.html

-----Original Message-----
From: majordom@post.thorcom.com [mailto:majordom@post.thorcom.com]On Behalf
Of Dave Sergeant
Sent: Sunday, March 03, 2002 3:08 AM
To: rsgb_lf_group
Subject: Re: LF: RE: Diversity

>>From Dave G3YMC

G3KEV wrote:
>Maybe your friends are transmitting on full size loops.
>Let me know how you get on and try a vertical as well for comparison.

As one of those 'friends' perhaps I should comment!

Mal will presumably expect his large 'normal' antenna to outperform a loop
at the
same location unless it is very large, as he has a very large site and can
erect big
antennas.  I have a very small site, well shielded with poor ground
conditions.  My
loop is a means to get on the band where I would not otherwise be able to do
so, and
to be realistic I do not expect big results from my qth whatever I do.  I
have
recently done comparitive tests with a 10m top loaded vertical, the best I
can
sensibly achieve, and there is certainly not the huge improvement Mal
suggests.
Details of these tests are on my website at
http://www.dsergeant.btinternet.co.uk/vertical.htm.

It may be that the vertical is not optimised, and in anycase is difficult to
get
clear of vegetation etc - the very problem Bill Ashlock in the USA has which
he has
overcome with loops. There are some signals which I can hear better on the
vertical,
but they are few and generally in the direction of the loop nulls, and in a
typical
urban location local noise normally makes the loop the best all round
antenna.  No
big expectations of dx here - if Mal can only just hear me he should
remember it is
325km and no mean distance for my set up.  It may be a compromise, and
certainly does
not perform like some setups do, but the loop does at least get me on the
air from a
difficult qth.

I am currently building an Elecraft K2 10W hf transceiver.  When that is
complete
shortly I shall devoting far more time to the hf bands.  With normal cw
activity on
136 at an all time low I can no longer devote all my time to that.

73s Dave G3YMC
dsergeant@iee.org
dsergeant@btinternet.com
http://www.dsergeant.btinternet.co.uk