Antennas - Is NVIS a good thing?
 

Put your dipole up between and two (or three, if it is an inverted vee)
connect the coax and start screaming. This idea of two phased antennas
isn't going to make any difference. If it does, please come back and let us
know but I will bet you wont see one iota of difference in your FD
performance.
CQ Field Day, CQ Field Day. One alpha Norhtern New Jersey (or whatever).

Antennas - Is NVIS a good thing?
 

Jeffrey D Angus wrote:
Dick Grady AC7EL wrote:

However, the object of Field Day is to contact as many
stations as possible.

I thought the purpose of Field Day was to serve as a training
ground for emergency preparedness. And a time to experiment
with new techniques and technology in an "emergency" setting
without it being a "real" emergency.

I think you are both correct. While the purpose is emergency
preparedness, the format seems rather contest like. Keeping score,
different classes, posting the scores in QST. It's just a way to inject
some fun in the whole process. Get folks on the air, and nothing like a
little competition to get a person to improve their skills.


Considering the relative ease of setting up an NVIS antenna
system, and the number of other stations on the air, Field
Day makes a perfect time to see how it performs and to map
it's effectiveness for short range HF communications.

Let's look at Field day. We're pretty much not DX'ing to begin with.
Excepting Alaska and Hawaii, the distances aren't that vast.

So a Low takeoff angle antenna isn't even the best choice, IMO. My
experiments show the low angle antenna to have a very strong local
signal, then for a few hundred miles out it is not very good, then it
starts improving, and for very long distances it tends to be better than
the NVIS type.

That was done on 75 meters, and keep in mind that it was not over a long
period of time - around 2 weeks, but I'm fairly confident that I'm at
least in the ball park.

I worked Field Day once overnight on 75 meters using 100 watts, and an
off center fed dipole at 40 feet. I used that setup to work the west
coast, and Hawaii and Alaska. I ran and held frequencies the whole night
long.

I would recommend if a group was going to put up a "DX angle" antenna,
they would be well served to put up an NVIS antenna to complement it.


Maybe I'm going blind in my old age, but I just don't see
contesting under 47CFR97.1

Ever since cavemen started rolling boulders around in the woods, they
figured out how to turn it into a competition. It seems to be what we
humans do best. ;^)


- 73 de Mike N3LI -

Antennas - Is NVIS a good thing?
 

On Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:30:29 EDT, Jeffrey D Angus
wrote:

I thought the purpose of Field Day was to serve as a training
ground for emergency preparedness. And a time to experiment
with new techniques and technology in an "emergency" setting
without it being a "real" emergency.

My sole interest in 80 meters is for EmComm data modes, where NVIS is
the desired mode. I hope that my (inefficient) dipole will do what I
want.....
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net

Antennas - Is NVIS a good thing?
 

"Michael Coslo" wrote in message
...


I think you are both correct. While the purpose is emergency preparedness, the
format seems rather contest like. Keeping score, different classes, posting
the scores in QST.
- 73 de Mike N3LI -


Must not be a contest then, because contest scores don't get posted in QST under
current management.

73, de Hans, K0HB

Antennas - Is NVIS a good thing?
 

Phil Kane wrote:
On Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:30:29 EDT, Jeffrey D Angus
wrote:

I thought the purpose of Field Day was to serve as a training
ground for emergency preparedness. And a time to experiment
with new techniques and technology in an "emergency" setting
without it being a "real" emergency.

My sole interest in 80 meters is for EmComm data modes, where NVIS is
the desired mode. I hope that my (inefficient) dipole will do what I
want.....

Only it really isn't inefficient - at least not because of it's
radiation pattern.

I'm curious though, what data modes do you use on 80? I do PSK there,
but are you doing handshaking and error correction? This time of year
could be taxing on that.

We can spin this into an other thread if you like.


- 73 de Mike N3LI -

Antennas - Is NVIS a good thing?
 

On Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:30:29 -0400, Jeffrey D Angus wrote:
Dick Grady AC7EL wrote:

However, the object of Field Day is to contact as many
stations as possible.

I thought the purpose of Field Day was to serve as a training
ground for emergency preparedness. And a time to experiment
with new techniques and technology in an "emergency" setting
without it being a "real" emergency.

Y'know, I've heard both arguments for a very long time. IMHO you're both
wrong.

Field Day is a party.

(in the non-alcoholic, family reunion sense)

Antennas - Is NVIS a good thing?
 

On Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:20:45 EDT, Michael Coslo wrote:

My sole interest in 80 meters is for EmComm data modes, where NVIS is
the desired mode. I hope that my (inefficient) dipole will do what I
want.....

Only it really isn't inefficient - at least not because of it's
radiation pattern.

The antenna that I am using is a B&W HF Wideband Folded Dipole, best
described as a resistor with wires and a balun. It was originally
developed for quick-and-dirty erection and has become "the standard"
for those Federal agencies that can't afford to install monster HF
log-periodic beams. It does cover all frequencies between 160m and
10m equally poorly without the need for an antenna tuner. Mine is
mounted with the center about 35 feet AGL and the ends about 25 feet
AGL.

I'm curious though, what data modes do you use on 80? I do PSK there,
but are you doing handshaking and error correction? This time of year
could be taxing on that.

PSK and Pactor I. I have been fairly successful with PSK but I
haven't heard any P-I signals where they're 'sposed to be. Some of us
locals are planning to have a P-I QSO to make sure that we can connect
to something. There's 'sposed to be a local CMS (HF relay) station
not far from here but we haven't heard it on. So much for 24/7
availability.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net

Antennas - Is NVIS a good thing?
 

In ,
Doug Smith W9WI typed, for some strange, unexplained
reason:
: On Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:30:29 -0400, Jeffrey D Angus wrote:
: Dick Grady AC7EL wrote:
:
: However, the object of Field Day is to contact as many
: stations as possible.
:
: I thought the purpose of Field Day was to serve as a training
: ground for emergency preparedness. And a time to experiment
: with new techniques and technology in an "emergency" setting
: without it being a "real" emergency.
:
: Y'know, I've heard both arguments for a very long time. IMHO you're
: both wrong.
:
: Field Day is a party.
:
: (in the non-alcoholic, family reunion sense)

Eh..? Whaddya'mean, non-alcoholic..?! ;-)

73 Ivor G6URP

Antennas - Is NVIS a good thing?
 

"Doug Smith W9WI" wrote in message
...


Field Day is a party.

(in the non-alcoholic, family reunion sense)

How do you survive a family reunion without alcohol?

Beep beep,

de Hans, K0HB

Antennas - Is NVIS a good thing?
 

In article ,
"KØHB" wrote:

"Doug Smith W9WI" wrote in message
...


Field Day is a party.

(in the non-alcoholic, family reunion sense)

How do you survive a family reunion without alcohol?

Beep beep,

de Hans, K0HB

Don't Go..... Or if you really can't stand Sleeping on the couch
for the rest of your days..... There is always Earplugs, and an iPod...

--
Bruce in alaska
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