Modified Vector 4000

[bob85]

Which modified vector Eddie ?

My original tests on 27mhz years ago at more than 1 location certainly changed signals as I described,
I now think I was finding a sweet spot where what I lose through extending the monopole was more than compensated by the extra height over obstructions, up to a point,

The original 7/8vector was still too long for best results & I never extended the cone longer than just over 90" , shortening the cone to less than 90" hurt performance,

The latest tests done on 50mhz are using full size 1/4wave cone & 3/8wave cone & are not obstructed behind anything in the first mile or so,

but I have only used 2 stations for testing when more in different directions would give a better picture,

in both cases the 3/8wave cone version performs a little worse than the 1/4wave cone version,
its easy to see & consistent when viewed on the rsp1a meter but not on a LCD bar graph radio meter,

Its not just that the performance is not as good, the 3/8 cone creates mechanical issues on 27mhz too,

using fewer sections of the thickest wall strongest grade tube does not make the best antennas,
It makes very heavy & expensive top heavy antennas.

 

[Marconi]

Which modified vector Eddie ?

I wasn't sure which antenna specifically you talked about when you told us you were steering the angle. I wanted to know, back in the days, what and how you determined you were steering.

The idea to ask you this question popped into my mind when I saw my Free Space model showing the maximum gain and angle below the horizon at -10* degrees.

That is also why I posted the comments by Roy Lewallen that talked about this topic in the manual. I think he was suggesting that it is possible for some antennas to produce signals over Real Earth and showing maximum signal below the horizon.

You also told us about being the only one left talking DX late into the night with your test setup of a Vortex Q82M2 at 50 mhz. I would think a lot of folks would spend big money to be able to say they could do the same while DX'ing. What you are suggesting sounds plausible even if Eznec cannot produce (-) negative angle values below the horizon when the model is set over Real Earth.

Bob, this all started out being an idea about testing and comparing the Vector to the Vortex using an dbm idea you, DB, and Henry have been using.

Again, just curious how you figured that out in your testing back in the day.

 

[bob85]

Eddie I don't recall claiming I was dxing late into the night when others around me could not,
I have not done any dxing on the 50mhz vectors, I think you are mixing up different peoples claims,

I did recently mention dxing into the night when all others fall silent but that was poking fun at Vortex,

late night dxing when all other antennas fall silent is just one of the Bullcrap claims that Vortex made along with the original q82 been consistently 2s-units up on a vector 4000 in their advertising,

None of what they claimed is true, I would argue with everything they claim,
its not even .82wave,

If you are talking about experiments on 27mhz years ago then yes I could talk & hear further than locals on poorly installed 5/8waves & I still can hear & talk to people my locals can't hear for noise,

I did think I was changing the takeoff angle because tweaking the dimensions & retuning the gamma gave different signals on TX & RX, models said otherwise,

DB talked about NEC not showing anything below 0 degrees when ground is included in the model in the past,
I don't know how that relates to my tests,

I have said what I think was happening & how I ended up with longer than 3/4wave but shorter than 7/8wave as the best in my situation and other similar places,

Even going from 1/4wave cone to 3/8wave cone would be hard to see on most radio meters & impossible on my yaesu bar graph s-meter,

most if not all sdr receivers have dBm meters but not all of them are calibrated,

I used to use my fluke87 & a Marconi precision attenuator to see small changes in signal,
Then I got the ep300 which is calibrated in dBm & other units,

The sdr makes comparing antennas over a very wide bandwidth inexpensive & gives you units that mean the same to everybody using a calibrated dBm meter,

They do lots of other things but i was only interested in the metering,

The rsp1a simultaneously displays calibrated s-units for HF bands & VHF/UHF bands,
so you can see what your radio meter should be indicating.

 

[Marconi]

If after more tests i find the 3/8wave is still behind & that i am not embarrased with the ease at which i am able to dx long into the night when all other verticals have falen silent,
I would like to know what they did with the model to make it look so good,

Eddie I don't recall claiming I was dxing late into the night when others around me could not,
I have not done any dxing on the 50mhz vectors, I think you are mixing up different peoples claims,

I didn't pick up on your joking here, but I was amazed you posted the words, I have never though of you as the DX type of radio operator.

Why did Vortex make this model look so good, because they wanted to sell antennas and lying in the sales business...is a born instinct (ego) in Humans that are good at it.

 

[bob85]

That was a quote posted on the Vortex website from one of their testers Eddie,
It is essentially the same antenna using heavy thick wall tube,

nothing about it will make an improvement you can see on your s-meter compared to a Nv4k

I used to DX on SSB for years, first person to work Australia in my area,

27.455 was the call frequency in the late 70's, we moved to 27.525 for a while then settled on 27.555 well before Aldo's Turkeys or anybody else started using it as the call frequency,

You guys hung around on 26.285
My wa10 ssb callsign originates from "Whiskey America" dx club in the USA that operated on 26.285 years ago

 

[secret squirrel]

Bump

 

[Alexis Mercado]

Bump

Why bump ?

 

[AudioShockwav]

Why bump ?

For those that are are interested....

.
73
Jeff

 

[Alexis Mercado]

For those that are are interested....

.
73
Jeff

Ok.

 

[magnuman]

11m is propagating again.
I am interested!
What about the Sirio gainmaster?
The sigma IV designs seem to have more metal in the air so should work better, but the extra metal is their downfall in heavy winds.