Robert Grant
02-26-2007, 03:30 PM
Hello to all WTFDAers:
I am looking for advice on what kind of antenna to install on my chimey (I do not have a tower, and probably can't afford one).
The 8-year-old rotator on my Channel Master Advantage 3020 stopped turning on a cold night late in January. Earlier, a straight line wind in October had bent the bottom mount bracket such that the mast was inclined about 10 degrees (which may have contributed to the rotator failure). With the 3020 aimed East of me and slightly towards the ground, it is useless for DXing, and I've lost the WBGU-DT four-channel multicast (my first member magazine arrived the day after the rotator broke!)
If there is any good news, it is that I have two months before I can get someone to climb the roof and before any TV DX is likely, and this gives me time to consider my options.
I'm tempted to replace the CM 3020 with another antenna. The CM 3020 I installed last april (it was availale on a moment's notice locally) is not a bad performer. However, it is no secret to DXers that a "V-type" log perodic antenna (which then 3020 is) does not have the deep nulls and distinct single lobe pattern of a log-perodic-yagi type, and this is important to DXing.
I'm actually looking into replacing the CM 3020 with a "suburban-near fringe" antenna, such as the CM 3679 (one example) which would have less wind resistance than a "far fringe" antenna, and would still offer reasonable DX performance.
Would a "far fringe" antenna (e.g., CM 3671) really improve DX performance sigmificantly?
It seems to me that once the basic principles of an LPY are met, that any further improvement would be merely incremental (I've heard that an LPY can't be better than a cut-to-channel three-element Yagi, but, of course, has more band coverage).
Or, is my 3020 actually as good for DX as an LPY? Reinstall the 3020 on a new rotator
and shorter mastpipes (it is a BIG antenna).
There is also the matter of the Winegard antenna (also an LPY/CRY type) I took down when I put up the 3020, and might be able to fix (see my other post, "Can anyone ID this Winegard").
Finally, is there a good, afforable, but quality alternative to the CM rotator? (or, has CM finally worked out the bugs with those awful Chinese rotators?).
73 & gud DX de N8NU
I am looking for advice on what kind of antenna to install on my chimey (I do not have a tower, and probably can't afford one).
The 8-year-old rotator on my Channel Master Advantage 3020 stopped turning on a cold night late in January. Earlier, a straight line wind in October had bent the bottom mount bracket such that the mast was inclined about 10 degrees (which may have contributed to the rotator failure). With the 3020 aimed East of me and slightly towards the ground, it is useless for DXing, and I've lost the WBGU-DT four-channel multicast (my first member magazine arrived the day after the rotator broke!)
If there is any good news, it is that I have two months before I can get someone to climb the roof and before any TV DX is likely, and this gives me time to consider my options.
I'm tempted to replace the CM 3020 with another antenna. The CM 3020 I installed last april (it was availale on a moment's notice locally) is not a bad performer. However, it is no secret to DXers that a "V-type" log perodic antenna (which then 3020 is) does not have the deep nulls and distinct single lobe pattern of a log-perodic-yagi type, and this is important to DXing.
I'm actually looking into replacing the CM 3020 with a "suburban-near fringe" antenna, such as the CM 3679 (one example) which would have less wind resistance than a "far fringe" antenna, and would still offer reasonable DX performance.
Would a "far fringe" antenna (e.g., CM 3671) really improve DX performance sigmificantly?
It seems to me that once the basic principles of an LPY are met, that any further improvement would be merely incremental (I've heard that an LPY can't be better than a cut-to-channel three-element Yagi, but, of course, has more band coverage).
Or, is my 3020 actually as good for DX as an LPY? Reinstall the 3020 on a new rotator
and shorter mastpipes (it is a BIG antenna).
There is also the matter of the Winegard antenna (also an LPY/CRY type) I took down when I put up the 3020, and might be able to fix (see my other post, "Can anyone ID this Winegard").
Finally, is there a good, afforable, but quality alternative to the CM rotator? (or, has CM finally worked out the bugs with those awful Chinese rotators?).
73 & gud DX de N8NU