Received my ZL special 5 element beam from Moonraker last week in installed it on a rotator about 25 feet agl. This was topped off some 5 foot higher with a 2m 1/2 wave vertical to replace the 2 x 1/2 wave phased vertical made from copper pipe. Main reason being aesthetic, both aerials technically 2.5 db gain.
Instructions for the beam were basic but clear, none received for the vertical, although construction obvious.
What a bummer - vertical down some 20db on the old one, As for the 2m beam - not a thing heard, although spent some time on the ARRL contest, need 6 more states to complete my collection. Since raised it a further 2 feet, some improvement, but still down. Reasonable take-off in most directions can hear GB3LD, GB3VT at S2 and S4 respectively, well could on the old antenna.
Spent several hours listening on 144.300 MHz on Sunday evening with no success, generally pointing east where I expect to most activity.
Ordered a 10 foot mast (Sunday) to lift all by 3 feet, and hopefully will get some improvement.
Tuesday mast arrived, did not fit through the letter box though!
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