Hello Clint, While planning your antenna farm, have you considered using an antenna modelling program such as EZNEC which could be of great help to you. A free version comes with the ARRL Antenna Handbook.
Due to the effect of nearby objects such as above ground power lines, metal gutters etc etc and trees on antennas, such a program cannot be expected to tell the whole truth unless these objects are included in the model, which can be difficult to do properly, but it can and usually does show the effect of other nearby antennas on the pattern of the antenna in use. Unfortunately the geographical bearing to a distant DX station is not always the same bearing at which the signal actually arrives. For example here on 40m the short path into CA is often "skewed" by as much as 50 degrees via Central /S.America. Also the vertical angle of arrival of the closer East Coast stations can vary considerably - often very high angle. The variation in bearing and angle of arrival of long distance DX stations here on 15m is usually very much less. So my suggestion FWIW is that you consider using EZNEC to plan your farm, put up an antenna which serves your main operating interests and directions (within the imposed constraints), and add other antennas ONLY if they do not compromise the performance of your "main" antenna. This does not answer your questions directly, but if you use EZNEC you should be able to get some ideas. 73, Geoff GM4ESD Clint <clint.st...@sbcglobal.net> wrote on Monday, December 14, 2009 at 6:17 PM Fellow Elecrafters, I have a feeling this may open the flood gates but here goes. I am a newbie Ham but a long time SWL going back to my Knight Kit Star Roamer. I am fixin' to set-up my antenna farm. OK, it will be more like an antenna garden as I have a small house and lot. My K3/100 has a KAT3 and KRX3. I plan on using 3 Dipoles and maybe an inverted V for diversity receive (what a great feature). I got on Google Earth and plotted out the areas I am interested in. I live just up the street from Elecrafts new HQ (talk about fast service) on the central coast of California (CM96CX). <snip> ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
