The 13b2 is supported by a fibreglass pole 4ft long, I hope to take down the 13b2 on Sunday 6th August and install it inplace of the 215WB boomer
Results were quite good, there was tropo accross the south and in central UK, I found that the signals I was getting from ALL of the stations over 70miles were QSB, however, the signals were acting like they would on Horizontal though the fading seemed to deeper, I worked G0UWB Vertically, then Horizontally, then we went to SSB, my Horizontal beam is higher than the vertical one, and signals were quite simalar. Other new stations worked were:
M3JPP - Jim, Birmingham. M1BZJ/P - Peter, Church Stretton. G3PXU, Warwick. 2E1KJB - Kevin, Isle of White. G1ECI, Wigan. M3STG - Steve, Charnock Richard. 2E0RAQ - Ray, Marsden Green. M3OML/M - Trevor, Stafford. 2E0BOT - John, Stratford upon Avon. 2E0WYB - Russ, Bath. G4EIT.. lost. 2E0ITC - Lost bad signal. G3WZR - Ray, Devizes, Wiltshire. M3IXC - Dave, Gloucester. M3RPM - Alan, Stockport. G4JBU - Dave, Oldbury.
After placing the antenna higher on the mast some of the contacts made over that week included the following stations:
G1KDU - Nuneaton, G0AOD - Staffs, M3OML/M - Broxton. 2E0SOA/M - Gloucestershire. 2E0RYP - Broosh. M0SNR - Birmingham. 2E0GOM - Birmingham (5W). G0SIQ/M - Shrewsbury. M3CNG- Staffs. M3OML - Rugeley. 2E0JQQ - Marsden Green. G6SYV - Yorkshire? G1EBW - Northamptonshire. 2E1KJB - Isle of White. 2E1HIG - Birmingham. M3NAA - Droitwich. M3VTS - Staffs. M0JMO/M - Derby. M1ANN - Reddich. G7IVR - Reddich. M0TBA/M - Segley. M3OML/M - Barr beacon?. M0FEW - Bristol. M0TCP - Aldbury. G7CQH/M - Hinkley. M1MST - Ludlow. G1EBW - Daventry. G4BUK/M - Walsal. G4TFN - Leicestershire. G4CXL - Weybridge (Surrey). G6OES - Cambridge. 2E0BDS - Friskney. 2E0KJP - West Bromwich. 2E0GAC - Nottingham. G8YMW/M - Doncaster. M3CNG/P - Northamptonshire. G0BVD - Malvern.
Most of the guys I spoke to were using a Co-linear, or 5/8ths antennas.
These are my observations from over the last week, however, a longer usage of the vertical beam would probably give me a far better, and clearer description, plus the fact that most other stations worked were NOT using a beam.
This is what I have noticed when using the beam in the vertical position, stations received are like using standard high gain antennas (co-linears), except that when there is a bit of tropo about, the signals received by the beam are just like they would be when we see "lift" conditions using standard co-linears ( like when we hear repeaters from other parts of the UK or stations in much further locations), I have NOT noticed that the other stations are received the same as Horizontal polorization; it would appear that the fading and QSB is more stable in the horizontal plane? as most of the QSO's I had using the 13b2 vertical faded out all the time in deep QSB, I dont see that kind of enhanced QSB/fading with horizontal FM. So, in essence, I recon that by using a vertical beam your "lift" conditions are just enhanced, and signals outside normal working areas will rely on the tropo far more than when the beam is in the horizontal plane. Stations you work using a vertical beam may say that they didnt notice that there was a lift, etc.
After putting this info up (typical!), I had a QSO with 2E0GCW -Barry- just south of Wolverhampton on the 9/8/06 at 18:53 we were also in QSO with G0ASP in Wellington I recorded Barry when he was in QSO with Norman, conditions were flat according to the Hepburn Tropo forcast, and it was nice to see that the signals I was getting were very simalar to that of the HFM to which I am so used to, the QSB though I would say was slightly more than the HFM... well, maybe ... click here to listen to the recording.
6th May 06 - 215WB Boomer + 23cms + Diamond CP22
My Antenna System
My system is always changing as I try out new/old antennas. My main system has just been installed just now, with the help from Dave 2E0BCJ from Liverpool. I have been using a CP22E Diamond 5/8 over 5/8 mono bander kindly donated by Jeff G0AFQ in Burscough, the antenna did need a bit of messing with to try to make it strong enough to with stand the wind, I am amazed at the build quality! rather... LACK of quality It really is amazing that these antennas are still produced. Though with a slight modification to the base of the antenna I have to say that it is stronger, and the performance of the antenna is quite good, far better than a W50. On the first switch on of the radio I heard many new stations that I have never heard before, the fact that there was a lift on too probably had something to do with that though! still, I do hear new stations all the time now as before... I seemed to have heard everyone local to me when using the W50 which I have used since about August 2004. Though I have worked DL, EI, MM and F with the little thing, amazing really as the conditions must have been very good to have been able to work them guys.
I am monitioring 144.675 as much as I can, and have been very pleased with the contacts that have been made upto now, there is interest from old timers who have done Horizontal FM before, and new interest with some M3 stations too.
Many thanks goes to Erik G8XVJ for the Cushcraft part that has now completed the beam to original condition, the "T" match section is in place and has made a very big difference to the performance.
Previous installations
215 Boomer and X510
Boomer
Heres the antenna system from April with out the ecoflex15 installed
WB215 Boomer + W50 + 48 ele Para-beam
Heres the old system when it was in place:
Watson 50, and a 46 element Multibeam, and the Cushcraft 215WB Boomer, I think they were known as a "Blaster" the performance from this 15 element 15ft long boom is very good, the radiating element had long been lost when I aquired it from Keith G0OXV from Ormskirk, so to use it I needed to make something that would fit onto the boom and the only thing I could think of was a simple diploe. which worked OK with RG213.
ZL Special
The ZL Special I was using, 19 elements, and was on test, It performed very well, and has up-to-now got me the best tropo contact yet, 1012Km (IN94WO) with 10watts on SSB, Many many thanks goes to Ken G0KEN for the beam.
Other Images
MBM88 and Boomer
