2008/05/22 - VHF Low Band

[kkn50]

2008/05/22 - VHF Low Band
QTH: South Texas EL09
RIG: Uniden 396T / dipole

39.900/196.8 - Fire pager test
42.120/192.8 - Police
42.340/D155 - Police
42.400/162.2 - Police, K??404
42.460/D265 - Police
42.880/192.8 - "north or southbound?"
43.040 - "yeah?"
43.180/173.8 - "I guess just go ahead"
46.040 - "81"

 

[rbhtxk]

What type of dipole?

If you don't mind, could you describe your dipole that you use for VHF low band?

 

[kkn50]

If you don't mind, could you describe your dipole that you use for VHF low band?

One like this, cut for 42 mhz. Up about 20 ft. RG8/U coax.

http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/9106023.pdf

I am thinking of adding a three element yagi.

 

[rbhtxk]

Dipole

I appreciate the response. I have used many a vertical dipole with good results. I lost my 60 Ft tower to a down burst two weeks ago, so we'll be going up with all new antennas in the coming weeks.

I am thinking about building some sort of gain vertical wire dipole and draping it from one of the offsets from the side of the tower.

VHF Low band skip is one of those things that I really find interesting. I live in North Texas, so the only local traffic are some business ops and city/county services. I can monitor the Oklahoma HP, but since their system is full duplex, I can never hear the mobile side because they never get within about 60 miles of us.

I am also a big six and ten meter fan, but my horizontal beams lay crushed upon the ground.

Thanks again.