Power gain and mast height gain....

[TheBlaster]

That's great w9cll, keep on enjoying the contacts. That looks like a high end radio.

I have not worked an endless number small islands (though I have worked many) as on 11m the ops tend not to be there. However I can say I have worked all continents with the most distant contact 13,300 miles away, long path to New Zealand from the U.K. with an omni vertical.

On $500.00 of cb equipment. $130.00 multimode radio, $250.00 linear and a $160.00 vertical antenna.

I feel there is nothing having a ham licence can add to the nitty gritty of actual "in the bag" DX contacts, except expense.

Though I do respect hams as without a beam being used at the RX end I probably would not have been heard. (although arguably beam use means omni stations in general don't get heard as well, but when you do get through, and the best beam/ham operators let the quiet stations in first as they are likely more challenging / interesting to RX, it is all the more satisfying.)

I don't know it all, but I do my bit and have the right operational attitude.

 

[Road Squawker]

tell me why ALL the top Amateur DXers use beam antennas.

 

[TheBlaster]

I could have a few educated guesses but probably best to let them answer that for themselves.

 

[Justme]

My only directional beams were on 6 meters, 2 meters and 70 and 23 cm's.
FOr HF a OCF from Fritzel, with extra coil and 30 feet of wire after that esonant on 160 as well.
Vertical L 77 feet high autotuner at the bottom feeding it ( MFJ998)
Imax 2000 for 10/12/15/18, no directional antenna here still worked the world, on 10 etc mostly IImax 2000 to Astralia, New zealand, Indonesia, singapore China, etc, mostly barefoot 100 watts.
For 6 meter same OCF swr 1 :1.3.
2/70 now Diamond X510N vertical omni.
My 12 element 2 meter yagi, 23 element for 70 and 23 cm beam all gone.

Maybe a bit more of a challenge and lack of real estate so no beams for HF possible here, just what is up here and it works.

 

[w9cll]

tell me why ALL the top Amateur DXers use beam antennas.

added gain and most importantly reduces noise off the end and sides

 

[w9cll]

On $500.00 of cb equipment. $130.00 multimode radio, $250.00 linear and a $160.00 vertical antenna

Paid $250 for the radio, built the antenna for $50 and I don't believe in amps

 

[TheBlaster]

I can understand that you can very likely get away with not needing one on ham bands, although a lot of hams do.

Although arguably there is one built into the back of the vast majority of transceivers of course typically 100W, after the driver stages.

I know for fact that if you don't have an amp you won't be heard as well on 11m DX. As a good example yesterday there was a guy playing Spanish TV for 1 hour of my dx session hitting me S5-S7. I call through and QSY, it is not that everyone in Europe is hearing that idiot's idea of a good time.

Not to mention getting through a layer of locally caused QRM of S1-S7 at the RX end. There is no shame in using an amp on 11m, unless you like enjoy mainly hearing hiss after you call CQ.

 

[Justme]

2/70 0 S points no signal no noise
50 MHz 0 S points amp 1 on with OCF
28 0 S points amp 1 on no signal no noise
24 MHz amp 1 on 0 S points no noise
21 MHz 0S points no noise
18 MHz 0 S point no amp on no noise
14 MHz 0 s points no amp on
10 mhz 1 s point noise no amp on
7 MHz S 5 noise no amp on
3.6 MHz S6 noise, no amp on
1.850 S7 noise ( vertical l)
Mind you we have all electricity supply burried under the ground here, no overhead lines to worry about.
Same for cable, high speed fiber internet and the rest.

All measured just now on the OCF at 45 feet above the houses, except the Inverted L on 160 meters.
18/15/12/10 also on the Imax 2000 same result.
Living on the edge of the city with 35.000 people in it, and some heavy industry, and hospital 1500 yards away.

Needed some noise hunting done for a few noise sources though, rotten noisy china crap phone chargers etc.
See qrz.com in the bio for pictures PA5COR

 

[w9cll]

I know for fact that if you don't have an amp you won't be heard as well on 11m

While I have not been on 11 meters for 30 years I never found I need an amp there either. I ran a Avanti PDL2 at 80 feet. I am sure things on there have only gotten worse but 30 years ago with a good antenna you only needed 12w.

 

[TheBlaster]

I totally understand that when skip conditions are very good you can work great distances on E and F layer QRP. It does make it much more difficult and will take up more of one's time. Conversely a 12w SSB signal can very easily be trampled on when some stations are operating with ERP's in the Kilowatts.

You make a personal choice in the end regarding what you station needs to operate satisfactory. I feel I need to use an amplifier in order to get the DX I need/enjoy most in poor to moderate conditions. Some of the best DX I have worked has been in very weak conditions. This is where you need a push.

 

[Road Squawker]

... some stations are operating with ERP's in the Kilowatts....

ERP????

Heck, many stations are running that much RF into the antenna feedpoint.

 

[w9cll]

Some of the best DX I have worked has been in very weak conditions. This is where you need a push.

This is where being a ham has a great advantage over 11-meter ops, if conditions get bad you can qsy to a different band.

 

[w9cll]

Although arguably there is one built into the back of the vast majority of transceivers of course typically 100W, after the driver stages.

No different than the 4w amp built into legal 11-meter radios. 100w is perfectly legal. I have made plenty of contacts with much less than 100w. If I can find it there is a youtube video of someone talking to when I was running 10w mobile.

 

[Justme]

Mostly running 100 watts here from the 1650 watts we can use legally.
My SB-1000 is locked on 160 only for DX on 160 in the wintermonths.
so, yes, I'm a "little" gun but good audio and good antenna's mostly cut through a pile up here.
10 meter hopping now, contest time....

 

[TheBlaster]

ERP????

Heck, many stations are running that much RF into the antenna feedpoint.

Oh yeah sure.. especially over in the states, no doubt. I think legal limit in UK for ham is 400 Watts. You might be able to get a permit for more ? Not sure. The vast majority of 11m DXers in UK run 100 -150 Watts SSB, at least that is what you hear from the working conditions reports. These are where all the low cost amps seem to sit, RM's and Zetagi's etc. output wise.

When conditions permit I have spoke to a few QRP 12W stations around Europe, no question at all it can be done : ) And hats off for doing it, I respect that and all the more interesting to work QRP stations. Often such stations also use the most basic of antennas, dipoles/wires etc.

It can definitely work, just not every day, when conditions are weak on 11m or very weak if you are lost in the noise it will be difficult to connect or very short QSO before your are buried in the QSB.