Delta or Dipole?

[W3WN]

Well, we got the loop up this morning.

W3WH came over around 10. I already had the mast assembled.

It wasn't easy.

The small fiberglass section cracked; Bill inadvertently put more stress on it during our first two attempts to raise it than I expected, and it cracked. I was able to remove it, but that shortened the mast, and prevents it's use, for now, as a vertical.

Took us 5 tries to pull it vertical. I'd misjudged the mass of the mast. I was used to maneuvering the HF2 and HF6, and this was much more massive. We should have had 2 more guys helping us.

But, it's up, and the delta loop is in place.

It loads on 160, but I think it's too short. Time will tell; we have some thunderstorms this evening, so I'm not testing anything until tomorrow night at the earliest. I could hear W1AW/4 AL, but kinda weak. But that could be conditions.

[W9JEF]

.


For what it's worth, my 80 meter turnstile is actually
2 inverted vee dipoles at right azimuth angles.

It's apex is up 48 feet, supported by 13 feet of 2-inch PVC
atop a 36-foot steel tower. Ends droop to about 27 feet.



Tied together, the 4-wire feedline forms a cage umbrella vertical
fed against radials and powerline neutral--excellent low-band DX.

Do you work 160 CW? We could try a sked (once the QRN subsides).