Thursday, April 30, 2020

Quarter wave 60m band sloper succession - WSPR TX results

From below the sloper antenna...
At first I had troubles to set up the two 1W WSPR stations. The laptop hasn't got that much processor power and it takes ages before it finally starts JTDX in a proper way. But in the end it worked. I started transmissions a few times manually to have PE4BAS and PE4BAS/P in the same time slot for reliable comparisation of the TX signal. It didn't work as I got far more as 1000 spots on the sloper were the inverted-V gave me "only" 954! But I found some slots in the database to compare...

I have to write that I didn't expect so many stations monitoring WSPR on 60m, it is a surprise! I was looking for low angle propagation to the USA. If it is there, the sloper has to show an advantage. I suspect low angle propagation is present very early in the morning to the west and in the late afternoon to the east. However I'm not an expert so I can be mistaken...

Results from last night, my 1W TX signal received by stations in the same time slot:

CallTime
UTC
inverted-V
(PE4BAS)
Sloper
(PE4BAS/P)
OE9GHV23:50-7+2
G3ZIL23:50-28-22
KD2OM23:50-26-10
HB9TMC00:14-25-31
IW1GEU00:40-24-17
G0LUJ02:02-29-18
G0VQH02:02-20-13
KD2OM02:02-20-4
RZ3DVP03:48-29-24
SM0OOJ04:14-11-26
KD2OM05:00-25-12

I honestly have to write it was raining tonight and the soil was very wet! I'm shure this has a effect on the sloper. I get consistent better reports on the sloper except for SM0OOJ at 04:14. I made note from KD2OM at several time slots, the only station from the USA that copied me the whole night and the only one that copied both the inverted-V and the sloper antenna signal.

John MW1CFN suggested I should try to compare on receive. But that is not a reliable option as I have 6dB more noise on the sloper. The PE1ITR receive WSPR challenge made it clear enough. PE4BAS was on place 47 and PE4BAS/P (sloper antenna) was on place.....92 last night.

John AE5X was kind enough to monitor 60m WSPR for my signal. It is amazing he just received my 1W signal from the sloper 4 times. He didn't receive my inverted-V signal.


This is were I'm shure the sloper does transmit more low angle signal. The only USA station that received my 1W inverted-V transmission was KD2OM !! The 1W signal from the sloper antenna was received by KD2OM, N2HQI, WA2ZKD, K1RA, AF2MP, N8NJ/W, W3PM and AE5X. I think it is enough evidence. However I expect the sloper isn't perfroming as good in dry weather. For now I keep it in my mast to play with. I might try a separate T/R switch to receive on my inverted-V and transmit on the sloper in the future.

6 comments:

ON4VT said...

Been using 4 quarter wave sloopers on 80m ... resulting in WAS, WAZ (40) and almost 270 DXCC. And since 4 months on 60m using also a 1/4 wave slooper. Same experiences, the TX angle is way lower than from a dipole!
73 seeya ON4VT

PE4BAS, Bas said...

I knew you are using this antenna Danny. But an antenna can work well at your station and less good at another. So I wanted to experience it myself. The TX side certainly outperforms my inverted-V. But it is less good on receive. Do you receive on the sloper antennas as well? 73, Bas

John AE5X said...

Hey Bas, an amazing thing: you were the *only* station I received on 60m WSPR for the entire night. My set-up was the RSPduo and 80m dipole (tuned for 60m) up about 32 meters.

It would be interesting to make the same comparison of antenna when your ground is dry. Maybe then the inv V would have the advantage on more paths.

73 - John

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Amazing since if you see the amount of stations here in Europe that are active on WSPR you should receive others as well. Several use QRPp powers but I've seen 1W stations as well. Not that bad for a piece of wire and a steel tower. It would be interesting to do another test when it is dry. I have to wait, right now it is still raining and the soil is very wet. Actually I should be DXing right now with the sloper antenna....unfortunately I have to do a job for my living as well ;-). 73, Bas

ON4VT said...

Hi Bas, I have an INV V dipole (multiband with 80m) as well. Best reports are changing beetween them in RX. But for DX the slooper is far out the best.
Important is to have a good toploading (HF yagi on top tower)
73

Photon said...

Very good - very big differences! I tried a inverted-V once, and never put it back up again.