The other day, I battled the heat and installed more radials for my Hustler 4BTV. I have an extra 14-gauge wire left over from when I first installed the radials, and for some time, I was planning to install the remainder, but never got around to it. Well, it is now done, and I am about 15 radials richer, bringing the total to close to 40. After the install, I was wondering if my radiation pattern has changed at all? I connected my WSPR transmitter over the period of 24 hours. For some reason, when I set it up, it was only sending signals out on 20 and 40m. I found out I neglected to save the settings, and the 20m and 40m setup was from the last time I used it. So I only have at this time data for those two bands.
Below are the patterns before the radial additions.
After the radials upgrade
2 comments:
Mike, I don't know if this is the right way to compare the 2 installations. WSPR is a nice tool but depends on constant changing propagation which make readings inaccurate for this kind of comparisations. If you had a field strength meter which was accurate enough it could be you had seen some difference. But it will be so tiny that you never notice that on air. A few extra radials is never a bad idea probabely. If you want some extra gain in a chosen direction you could try a second vertical tuned for a little higher frequency as he band you're working on and place it experimental 1/8 to 1/2 wavelength in that direction in which you want extra gain. I don't know how much room you have but it would be an interesting experiment. 73, Bas PE4BAS
Good morning Bas that is what I figured but was interested in the change as in the past the pattern was always the same and never had changed it if did it was very slight.
73
Have a good weekend
Mike
VE9KK
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