Next message: Ken James: "[world-cruising] about led sidelights"
Susan makes very good points about the value of a slanted half
dipole. It's a good solution for many boats. But not for all. For
example, my Aphrodite is an unstayed schooner. My only option was a
vertical mounted on the radar arch. I did a lot of research on the
antenna because, being a ham, I'd also heard for years the axiom that
verticals are equally bad in all directions. That said, there are
two things which make a world of difference in good vertical
performance, viz., the quality of your ground plane and the antenna
itself.
For the very best vertical available, check out the Hi-Q tuneable
dipoles and then make sure you can install at least 100 sq feet of
copper sheeting or mesh to get a good ground. You can skip the
second step if you have a metal hull. Another feature of the Hi-Q is
that if you get two of them you can configure them into a tuneable
dipole when not underway. You can reach Hi-Q at http://
www.hiqantennas.com/ The service is excellet.
I'm extremely happy with my installation and never had difficulty
connecting with Airmail stations while crossing the Pacific last year.
Cheers,
Carl Bostek
svaphrodite.bostekanesthesia.com
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