Much bigger difference than what I get with my beverage. I have been toying with the idea of putting up either a wire yagi or maybe a 2 or 3 element quarter wave vertical array using TV push-up masts, aimed towards Europe. 60 quarter wave radials per pole on 40 would take a lot less copper than the 120 quarter wave radials I installed with my 160m vertical.
Speaking of Europe, where are all the Euro-AM'ers now that 40m has been expanded on their side of the Atlantic? I have worked only one station, from Belgium, when he switched his ricebox to AM. We had a good two-way AM contact. 40m should offer a much better path than 75, but I have yet to hear any of the 3705 gang on 40m.
Also, where are the French stations? I have heard one (on slopbucket) since they gained access to 7.1-7.2. Maybe that fellow was right about how few ham antennas are seen when travelling through France these days. I hear loads of Spanish and Italian stations, a few Brits, even fewer Germans and little else out of Europe.
But I have had limited success carrying on meaningful contacts with the DX stations. The band has quickly become dominated by the "hello-g'bye, ur five-nine, pse QSL, 73, QRZ?" type of activity from the certificate collectors. What little success I have had was at 0500-0700 GMT. The paper collectors pretty much have it tied up in the early evening hours in N America. These are the same people who are griping about AM on 7160. They think they own the band when DX propagation is coming through and that everyone else should defer to their interests.
Hi Don,
Some years back I asked a number of 75M hams from France why there were so few of them too. I don't remember the answers, but find there is a lack of them on 75M too.
As for 40M antennas - can you run a tramline from your tower out to a far tree or to the ground? Connect to it about 4 to 5 ropes and pulleys spaced about 25' apart each and have at it. If you can adjust the pulleys for a level span at 80' (or higher) for an array, go with delta loops. If lower, go with inverted vee elements. Shorten the elements 2.7% when using inv vees. (0% with flat els)
You will find this is the simplest system and is guaranteed to work. I think the optimum angle for Euro is about 20 degrees and the Yagi/loops at 1/2 wavelength high are perfect for this TO angle. A vertical is a little low for Europe most of the time.
In fact, yesterday the VKs at sunset were so high angle that they were 10db louder on my dipole at 30' compared to the three Yagis. So, 20 degrees is a good compromise.
Yes, 40M is getting so crowded at dinner time, I heard USA guys complaining yesterday they cudn't find a clear freq to call CQ DX. Like finding a parking space, I found a QSO just ending and jumped in and held court for a coupla hours into Eur last night.
I'll have no problem stirring up AM activity on 40M into Europe. Get up that array and join me and we'll have some fun. With the summer static approaching, a big f-b will be more important for receiving.
T
