dxAce wrote:
David wrote:

On Thu, 09 Nov 2006 04:11:26 GMT, Telamon
wrote:

In article . com,
"Steve" wrote:

I've been reading about these and am intrigued.

These antennas are often mounted in a sloping configuration, but how
steep can the angle be? I'm sure the steepness of the angle is going
to effect the antenna's radiation pattern, but will how? Does it
cause the antenna to become highly directional as the angle
increases?

How do these antennas perform in relatively noisy environments? I've
read that they're relatively slow to pick up local noise, but I'd
like to hear about some people's first hand experiences with them.

Are these antennas inevitably eyesores to those philistines who don't
appreciate the beauty of a good antenna? Is there a way to make them
less conspicuous?



There is nothing great about this antenna for reception. You are better
off using a folded dipole.

???

I would disregard everything written above. The antenna is very
quiet for receive.

I found it to be 'quiet' because it really didn't receive very well.

I built two and chucked 'em both soon after.

I'm amazed at how many people I read put down the T2FD after the great
experiences I've had with it. Maybe those who knock it already have a
better low-noise antenna system in place.

I've never lived in a house where I could erect a 200 foot Doty
longwire a good distance from any noise source. My RF Systems T2FD is
probably the next best thing. My first house was in a Philly suburb,
close-in neighbors and lots of RFI around but none getting into my
receiver. Pulled in a lot of low powered, weak but clean signals from
all around the world. I'm still amazed at some of the stations I've
heard with it. My second house was much better RFI-wise but reception
was every bit as good in my first, proving to me that it was indeed the
antenna keeping the man-made noise out.

They are reputed to have low gain compared to other antennas, but the
total absence of interfering noise more than makes up for it. Try
listening to a radio in a noisy room, you need volume (gain) to
compensate for the enviornment. In a quiet room, you can turn the
volume (gain) down because its not neccessary, and also much more
relaxing and easier to listen to.

Invest in good coax, as there's no point in a low noise antenna without
a good shield coax.

My RF Systems antenna is 47 feet long, not too easy to hide but not a
monster if you have a good location to run it. One ham operator in my
town had a B&W T2FD over 90 feet long and I don't know how many times I
walked by his house before I noticed it.

The length determines the optimum frequency range. This one I have is
designed for 3.5-35 MHz. I am planning on modifying it to 35 feet long
and take off 6 inches in height to make it fit my current yard, as
right now I'm really in a tight spot! That'd put the optimum low
frequency at 4.75 MHz. They receive below the low frequency of course
but performance seems to drop off a bit.