what can I expect with one? And why does everyone say "dipoles keep an honest man honest" lol
Yep - 16 feet high is the bare minimum for 11 meters, and more is definitely better. Clear of obstructions, especially metallic ones. Dipoles aren't magic, though. If no one's there, chances are they won't be there if you had a multi-element yagi at the same height, either.
You can expect it to give you 2.3dbi of gain.what can I expect with one? And why does everyone say "dipoles keep an honest man honest" lol
You can expect it to give you 2.3dbi of gain.
You can expect it to cost almost nothing to build it.
You can expect it to work better when placed 16 ft or higher from the nearest metal object below it.
You can expect it to work better @ 33ft.
You can expect it to work poorly when below 16ft.
You can expect it to preform well with stations over 1000 miles away or more - even when using low power.
You can expect it to be quieter than a vertical antenna.
You can expect it to work local stations poorly if they are using vertical antennas.
You can expect it to work best on its sides rather than the ends.
You can expect it to behave more like a vertical antenna if the dipole wires are at a 45 degree down angle on both sides with a SWR closer to 1:1; although you lose the advantages of a horizontal dipole.
You can expect it to have a SWR of 1.5:1 when flat/horizontal.
Never, ever heard anything about a dipole keeping honest men honest.
Not necessarily. If you're running the same power as "they" are, then it's a possibility. If you're running stock (i.e. legal) and the other guy has to use silver dollars for his relay contacts, then probably not.Beetle are you saying if I can hear them I can probably work them?
North tx...red river area
Thank you!Ok. Well, if you were on MI I would invite you over to the shack for a beverage and try to answer all your questions. Anything I don't know I can just make up
Excellent info!!!!!You can expect it to give you 2.3dbi of gain.
You can expect it to cost almost nothing to build.
You can expect it to work better when placed 16 ft or higher from the nearest metal object below it.
You can expect it to work better @ 33ft.
You can expect it to work poorly when below 16ft.
You can expect it to preform well with stations over 1000 miles away or more - even when using low power; but this will depend largely on how the incoming signal is polarized
You can expect it to be quieter/less man made noise interference than a vertical antenna.
You can expect it to work local stations poorly if they are using vertical antennas.
You can expect it to work best on its sides rather than the ends.
You can expect it to behave more like a vertical antenna if the dipole wires are at a 45 degree down angle ('inverted V') on both sides with a SWR closer to 1.1:1; although you lose the advantages of a horizontal dipole.
You can expect it to have a SWR of 1.5:1 when flat/horizontal; nothing at all wrong with a 1.5 SWR if it is a horizontal dipole - that is how they normally work.
Never, ever heard anything about a dipole keeping honest men honest.