Nick, Depending on the complexity, the antenna system could wind up pushing real estate limits real fast. Loop antennas have always been good performers and work in smaller spaces as Colin pointed out. And, if the ALA100 is the Hummer of broadband loops, I'll get one eventually if I don't get laid off first :-P
The top 10 antennas I've used (in order from best to not-so-best): 1. Unterminated, elevated Beverage sloping ~15 degrees. (Beats anything else by far) 2. 1000' Terminated Beverage 3. Beverage-on-ground, unterminated 4. 4' x 4' passive, tuned Box Loop 5. End-fed "Superloop" (perhaps tied with 4th place) 6. Flag antenna 7. 70' sloper 8. Sanserino (actively-tuned) Loop 9. A 6' x 6', unamplified broadband loop And, last and least...(although good for phasing against another antenna)... 10. A 10', unamplified whip antenna (vertical) Chris -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]on Behalf Of Nick Hall-Patch Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 3:09 PM To: Mailing list for the International Radio Club of America Subject: Re: [IRCA] ALA 100 and related thoughts At 17:49 1/28/2009, you wrote: >I would love to stumble upon/design an antenna setup that would emulate a >BoG system, that could easily fit in my 50'x60' backyard. Having the ability >to control direction and angle of signal pickup would be a plus...hi. (like >a mini Wullenweber antenna) Chris, So would most of us,hi. A lot of bright ideas founder on the complexity of the implementation compared with the simplicity of having a switchable selection of Beverage antennas. The ideal is to have an antenna with a steerable narrow lobe, except when you want a wide lobe to find out what's out there. But it has to be easy to understand its operation I think. The problem with a complex system is that by the time it's adjusted properly (especially if it's frequency sensitive, and you need to readjust for each channel), the opening can have passed (our morning sunrise enhancements for example). On the coast it's relatively easy to reject many domestics with a Flag or similar antenna, because the wide remaining lobe is looking only at DX, and the null can be easily touched up. But it's not so easy in most locations with interference from all directions, plus whatever local electrical noise you end up introducing into a complex system. >Cogs still turning (squeak, kah-thump), the next thought is a sloper toward >the pest station phased against an ALA-100, for example. Would that work >better as a phased combo? (think patterns and signal strengths) It has a certain degree of simplicity, which is a good thing in my mind. If you have a rotatable loop then you have some good possibilities. But there are others on this list with more experience of phasing than I, so you should probably wait for greater wisdom from them. best wishes, nick ***************************** Nick Hall-Patch Victoria, BC Canada _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: [email protected] _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: [email protected]
