Topic: Best Wire Antennas for DX-ing - with Gain? (Read 1918 times)

« **on:** May 07, 2008, 12:36:11 PM »

I've used a 4 element 40M Bruce Array where its bottom was about 10' above ground, and that antenna was amazing on 40M and (fed as a vertical dipole on one of the inner elements and going to an SGC 230 remote antenna tuner) also was a barn burner on 12M.

About 4.2 db gain if I remember correctly.

The other was the K1WA Array - where I had 4 20M sloping dipoles hung from a simple 36' Channel Master stel mast (which Radio Shack used to sell). The gain was also 4.2 db, and this antenna easily worked as well as the 2 element SteppIR yagi or the C3SS that I had a few years back.

I have never been able to get a Bobtail or Half square to work like the Bruce Array. I also have never found a 20M half square or 20M Bobtail work all that well - the half square and Bobtail seem to be better as low band antennas. (And yes, I did have 60 radials in the test antenna systems).

KB9CRY · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2008, 04:33:38 PM »

4 Square

K7KBN · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2008, 04:55:55 PM »

Rotatable SteppIRhombic!

KE6VG · « **Reply #3 on:** May 09, 2008, 09:16:47 PM »

You haven't tried a half-square on 40 meters with a reflector about 20' behind it. 6.6 dbi with 18 degree take off and 20db f/b. If you feed both half-squares with the proper length of coax and a relay, you can make it bi-directional. The shorted length of coax changes one into a reflector while you feed the other one. The only bad point about the half-square is the narrow 2:1 bandwidth of about 100 Khz on 40 meters. So, it is either a CW or SSB antenna. But, man, what a blast when you flip that switch.

« **Reply #4 on:** May 09, 2008, 09:43:39 PM »

I have posted pictures of my latest wire setup at:

http://www.flickr.com/ky6r

and the antennas are as good as the best wire or vertical and yagi (2 element SteppIR) combo I have ever had.

Getting the simple loaded doublet up 60 feet has really out-performed any vertical I've had on 80, 40 and 30, and the W8JK array is even better than the SteppIR 2 element. Its side rejection is as good as you can get, and since I need the last 8 DXCC entities in the NE / SW direction - I like the fact that its bi-directional.

« **Reply #5 on:** May 09, 2008, 09:45:11 PM »

KE6VG:

I should try that as well.

KE6VG · « **Reply #6 on:** May 09, 2008, 11:27:29 PM »

Wish I had some big trees. I would love a dipole at 60'.

Author Topic: Best Wire Antennas for DX-ing - with Gain? (Read 1918 times)