GW4RWR
Antennas used:
For gain, the yagi is superior on all bands higher than 14MHz, and remember that gain is proportional to boom length rather than the number of elements. Shortening or folding elements, or any other approach will be a compromise.
HF - 2 el Western DX32, from GW3RUE. Still going without any maintenance after 30 years!
28MHz -
50MHz - 3 el yagi on former Jaybeam boom.
70MHz –
5 el MET yagi (3.4m boom) ex G3WOS, 2004. Light; flexi elements have saved this when it fell off the tower
144MHz – a variety over the years, in this order:
8el Jaybeam (won Single Op Portable section of the Sept 1982 contest, from Moel y Parc, IO83IF),
6 el Quad Jaybeam (Just a whiff more gain on this GW4HBZ antenna, but was heavy),
4x16 el Jaybeam,
4x17el Tonna (nicer pattern),
2 x 9 el portable Tonna (lighter, with higher gain and more useful (wider) E-plane than a single 17el,
432MHz - 19 el Tonna (very clean).
1296MHz - 23 el Tonna. Sold at Weston Aerodrome, along with the SSB Electronic
kit modules and Mitsubishi brick amp. I wasn't able to make much use of all
this, my home being in a deep valley. Although twenty years later I regret having sold it. I first used the transverter on 28MHz, and once I'd retuned the LO
from 1268 to 1152MHz the sensitivity was noticeably much better.
