[Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions] Obsevations

[David Raymond]

I have the 160m Hi-Z 8 circle receiving array here along with full size 
transmit four squares for 80m and 160m.  I live in a very low noise location 
with almost no manmade noise.  Today, for example, with the 160m four square 
pointing JA, the S meter on the FT1000MP is not even lit with the 250hz 
filter and noise blanker off.  My biggest source of noise during the day is 
distant electric fences.  At night the fence noise is overcome by 
atmospheric noise.

I have found that high performance, low noise antennas with very good RDF 
don't always make a significant improvement in very low noise environments. 
I've had single Beverages (limited to about 190m in length), end-fire phased 
Bevs, and now the 8 circle array.  Comparative receive performance 
(ultimately s/n ratio) between the 8 circle and the TX antenna varies from 
signal to signal, day to day, high angle vs. low angle, etc.  I have found 
that the 8 circle will beat the TX antenna about 20%-25% of the time.  The 
rest of the time they are on par with each other.  At our contest station, 
N0NI which is about 25 miles away, the general noise floor is somewhat 
higher with manmade noise being a factor.  We have a variety of receive 
antennas there including wide-spaced phased Bevs on EU, JA, plus some single 
wire and two-wire Bevs in other directions along with a Hi-Z four square. 
The 8 circle will hold it's own with the wide spaced phased Bevs (RDF of 
about 13 db) which is pretty remarkable.  The 8 circle consistently "out 
hears" the wide spaced 4 square TX array and a second TX four square by 
several db s/n (enough to be very noticeable).  Putting the 8 cir in 
diversity with the wide spaced phased Bevs (they "hear" rather differently) 
makes for tremendous RX capability. . .enough that sometimes we think the 
four squares aren't working (why isn't that guy hearing us?).

Lee and Dick would be better able to comment on testing the 8 circle array 
(those guys are extremely competent and helpful).  With two 8 circle 160m 
arrays to have experience with, I would say you should see at least 30 db 
f/b on your 8 circle array (we see about 34 db f/b on our two arrays).  If 
you're seeing that (or more), it's working.  Where the 8 circle array really 
shines in my own circumstances is those four directions (N, E, S, & W) where 
it can be aimed which are in between the four directions of the four square 
TX arrays (NE, SE, SW, & NW).  In those directions it will beat the TX four 
square every time.  This has been evident the past week listening to H40KJ 
(listening due west from Iowa).  YMMV.

73. . .Dave
W0FLS
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "thornton ash" <thorntonash at comcast.net>
To: <hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions at hizantennas.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2011 11:34 AM
Subject: [Hi-zreceivingarraydiscussions] Obsevations


>I installed an 8 element system late last spring and had limited time to 
>use it before it all had to come down for the XYLs gardening season. The 
>testing at that time was inconclusive on 80 & 40 compared to my full size 
>80M and 40M 4-Squares. This system was built on an 84' diameter.
>
> I put the system back up this September and until late September, again 
> the results were inconclusive. I was not particularly worried as after 20 
> plus years I am use to the 4-Squares underperforming until later in the 
> fall when the angle lowers. As the fall progresses I am seeing significant 
> improvement in the front-to-back and front-to-side discrimination. Now 
> that we are in mid October I am starting to see improvement in readability 
> on the long haul 80 and 40 DX stations compared to the 4-Squares. So far 
> it is not always the case, for example, it was apparent yesterday with the 
> 3XY1D on 40 and this morning on 80 with the TX7M.
>
> I would be interested in anyone else's observations.
>
> 73,
>
> Thorny
> W1FQ
>
>
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