Topband: Low RX Dipole

[GALE STEWARD]

I was out cutting down a few small trees yesterday.
While surveying the available supports, I found out
that I had room to install a low-to-the-ground dipole
for 160/80M at 8-10 ft high. Actually, it would be in
the vee configuration with a 90 degree angle at the
feed point. I could get each arm about 70 feet long
with no bends (100 ft long if I bend the end of one
arm). I'm thinking of this configuration as it puts
the antenna as far from the tower (40ft) and the TX
vertical (80ft) as I can manage on my property. I
previously had a EWE in between the tower and vertical
but it never performed all that well. It was probably
too close to the other structures. I'm wondering if
anyone had used a low RX dipole-type antenna with any
luck. Is it a useable antenna or just a waste of wire?

73, Stew K3ND

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[Tim Duffy K3LR]

Hi Gale!

It all depends on what other antennas you have. I have had up a 14 ft
high 1/2 wave dipole on 160 for many years. It has always impressed me
as a high angle antenna which limits its prime effectiveness to gray
line use. I also use it in tandem with other antennas and the MFJ
receive antenna noise canceling W8JI magic box (also an effective
antenna phasing unit). My low dipole's claimed fame was a sunrise QSO
with KH2. No other antenna (1100' beverage, vertical array, etc.) could
hear the KH2, but he was 569 on the low dipole.

73!
Tim K3LR

Post by GALE STEWARD
I was out cutting down a few small trees yesterday.
While surveying the available supports, I found out
that I had room to install a low-to-the-ground dipole
for 160/80M at 8-10 ft high. Actually, it would be in
the vee configuration with a 90 degree angle at the
feed point. I could get each arm about 70 feet long
with no bends (100 ft long if I bend the end of one
arm). I'm thinking of this configuration as it puts
the antenna as far from the tower (40ft) and the TX
vertical (80ft) as I can manage on my property. I
previously had a EWE in between the tower and vertical
but it never performed all that well. It was probably
too close to the other structures. I'm wondering if
anyone had used a low RX dipole-type antenna with any
luck. Is it a useable antenna or just a waste of wire?
73, Stew K3ND
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[Rick Karlquist]

Post by GALE STEWARD
that I had room to install a low-to-the-ground dipole
for 160/80M at 8-10 ft high. Actually, it would be in

I'm wondering if

Post by GALE STEWARD
anyone had used a low RX dipole-type antenna with any
luck. Is it a useable antenna or just a waste of wire?
73, Stew K3ND

I find that a dipole or inverted vee, whether high or
low, is virtually always a better RX antenna than a
vertical, on 160M and 80M. Sometimes it's about as
good as a beverage. I routinely use a 60 foot high
40 meter inverted vee as a receive antenna on low bands.

BTW, a low dipole is a terrible TX antenna on 160M.

Rick N6RK

[Bill]

I have used a 260' long, 40' high "Z" configured dipole
for 2 years on 160. Works pretty good, got 20 countries
confirmed and 48 states. Antenna looks like a letter "Z"
when viewed from above. Property constraints.

K2WH

-----Original Message-----
From: topband-***@contesting.com
[mailto:topband-***@contesting.com]On Behalf Of GALE STEWARD
Sent: Monday, May 05, 2003 20:25 PM
To: topband reflector
Subject: Topband: Low RX Dipole


I was out cutting down a few small trees yesterday.
While surveying the available supports, I found out
that I had room to install a low-to-the-ground dipole
for 160/80M at 8-10 ft high. Actually, it would be in
the vee configuration with a 90 degree angle at the
feed point. I could get each arm about 70 feet long
with no bends (100 ft long if I bend the end of one
arm). I'm thinking of this configuration as it puts
the antenna as far from the tower (40ft) and the TX
vertical (80ft) as I can manage on my property. I
previously had a EWE in between the tower and vertical
but it never performed all that well. It was probably
too close to the other structures. I'm wondering if
anyone had used a low RX dipole-type antenna with any
luck. Is it a useable antenna or just a waste of wire?

73, Stew K3ND

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The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo.
http://search.yahoo.com

[wb6tza at socal.rr.com ()]

such a low dipole is very successful when you want to receive signals from
nearly straight up. I have not plotted it, but Id expect very poor
"pickup" below about 30-40 degrees arrival angle. A similar ( but straight
line) antenna accounted for well more than half of the stateside QSOs for
XZ0A. This antenna performed well in the somewhat unusual propagation
conditions we experienced where the sunset arrival angles appeared to be
nearly straight down for the first hour.

This antenna may not do well for you a lot of the time, but, you probably
will find the occasional set of conditions where it is the ONLY antenna to
hear the signal you want. Great to have in your RX arsenal, but don't
count on it as a primary antenna

73

robin critchell, WA6CDR/XZ0A

Post by GALE STEWARD
I was out cutting down a few small trees yesterday.
While surveying the available supports, I found out
that I had room to install a low-to-the-ground dipole
for 160/80M at 8-10 ft high. Actually, it would be in
the vee configuration with a 90 degree angle at the
feed point. I could get each arm about 70 feet long
with no bends (100 ft long if I bend the end of one
arm). I'm thinking of this configuration as it puts
the antenna as far from the tower (40ft) and the TX
vertical (80ft) as I can manage on my property. I
previously had a EWE in between the tower and vertical
but it never performed all that well. It was probably
too close to the other structures. I'm wondering if
anyone had used a low RX dipole-type antenna with any
luck. Is it a useable antenna or just a waste of wire?
73, Stew K3ND