Based on the contacts you demonstrate here I'd suggest the hexbeam has a higher take off angle given the strong gains mid range into Europe but less so on long haul routes. In any case it shows why it is advantageous to have a variety of antennas to choose from. Respect for the R&D perseverance you put into your projects.
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
I agree. I need to test out on lots of OC contacts. I listened to that JA for about 30 mins and while the difference was less the Hexbeam would have made the difference in making the QSO. I did work this guy shortly after on the Hexbeam.
@Howie-wd5oc
Ай бұрын
I have been contemplating a multiband hex beam for DX. This comparison between a vertical and a hexbeam, even though not under ideal conditions, suggests that the hexbeam may be a good fit for me. I'm not limited in the area available for antenna installations but I am in a low spot with a lot of trees and a couple of outbuildngs. So, a hexbeam at say 35 feet may get me over all that stuff. Thanks for the comparison. 73
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Yes, getting into the clear is key IMO. There are better beams over the Hex but its a great multiband compromise.
@johnwest7993
Ай бұрын
Your vertical is effectively radiating from 2 feet off the ground, just a bit above its feedpoint, and at a low radiation angle. So it's radiating right into the fence and bushes. The top half of the vertical essentially isn't radiating, as the highest current, i.e. the strongest field is at the feedpoint and it decreases on its way up from there, so your radiation point is sitting on the ground. Put your hexbeam down a couple of feet above the ground, then compare. I try to mount my vertical with its feedpoint at 8 to 12 feet up depending on my installation options. Then I slope the radials down and out from there. It makes a great deal of difference.
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
I agree. Wanted to do this comparison first as ground mounted verticals are common. I much prefer my verticals to be elevated as high as I can get them.
@M7XCB
Ай бұрын
Hex beam has higher gain and extra Db gain as it up in the air the vertical is doing quite well on the floor. Great video Colin.
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Agree. Height is might as it gets you in the "clear".
@MJA43
Ай бұрын
Hello Colin, Thanks very much for the comparison. My Moxon for 14 MHz is still not finished, too many other things to do in the garden when I'm here in Germany after my stay in Mexico ... But I think I'll be able to complete the antenna this summer ... Good luck and good dx 73 Mario (DL2BCZ)
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Hi Mario, there is always another project! Good luck and hope you get it finished over the summer in time for the autumn and winter DX.
@jimirvine763
Ай бұрын
Hi Colin. Loving your videos and your superb attention to detail during experiments. I only have a DX Commander and an EFHW with no amplifier. A Hex Beam is not practical at my QTH, although I would love to have one. Have to say, I love the vertical but I wish I had better receive capabilities. I have had amazing contacts with DX with stations when I can hear them. 14800+ kms SSB to Reunion Island is my record. But often those elusive DX contacts are down in the noise and barely readable. I am experimenting with receive loops in an effort to drop my noise floor.
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Thanks. We all do the besr we can. Nothing wrong with your setup there.
@ptsmonvideo
Ай бұрын
Nice video as always Colin. I suggest you to experiment a single 45deg radial elevated vertical with the feed point as high as possible. I suspect you’ll have very different results. Your ground mounted vertical has lots of obstacles in its way on the high current region. 73 de F4JAW
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Only a test will prove this (ot not). I wanted as base first and most will use a ground mounted vertical. 100% agree the obstacles will effect the vertical but that was kinda the point to show how much. Watch this space!
@brianfields4479
Ай бұрын
Thanks for sharing Colin, nice to see you on the air. As we all know testing ants is a finicky thing at the best of times, vertical to horizontal, propagation, distance and time of day, it can be confusing. I would always expect a 2 ele beam to outrun a single ele, and I think it comes down to personal preference. Time to build, space etc etc. As I said in the past, I have the space to put up any size tower or yagi, but as my simple 3 ele vertical array works so well, and easy to put up, and neighbor friendly, yeh it's personal choice eh. Look forward to getting you in the log, 20m into uk good this week. Cheers mate. 73.
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
100% agree mate. So many foibles with antenna testing. Polarisation is something folks rarely think about and dont realise its constantly changing. I still love my verticals and think this one still did really well all things considered. Location is everything too. 73's
@tonym7cvk430
Ай бұрын
Good morning Colin great comparison now to convince the wife M7CVK Tony
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Good luck 👍
@radoslavgalis2176
Ай бұрын
For bands 40m and higher should be horizontal antenna 1st choice, if you have enough space for vertical, it can be better in certain situations. E.g. when on opposite side is somebody with small vertical e.g. 2.5m, on vertical you can hear him e.g. 55-57, on horizontal antenna you can very often hear 0...
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Having both as good as to switch as the polarisation is continually changing.
@juliopereyra7422
Ай бұрын
Good night, Colin. Excelent video. Greeting 👍👍😊
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Thanks for watching Julio 🙏.
@IZ0MTW
Ай бұрын
Hi Colin, Diego here. I’ve watched this video and noticed something nobody have spotted so far. When transmitting with the vertical for some reason your swr was high. As a consequence the radio ALC was limiting the power. That obviously gives false results for the comparison. We might have to repeat the test. So for sure the difference between the two antennas is not as big as I measured on my site. Nevertheless the Heaxbeam is outperforming the vertical, which is suffering a little due to its mounting site. Best wishes! Diego
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
I also noticed this Diego. Ideally I run it again but I don't know when. Saying that theres now way the vertical would beat the Hexbeam but the gap may very narrow.
@stewarthowarth9744
Ай бұрын
The claims of low angle radiation from a ground mounted vertical don't apply in a suburban environment. The Hexbeam would perform even better at a half wave above ground, i.e. 10 M or 33 ft.
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
I agree, if the vertical was above roof height with elevated verticals, it would be a different story. The Hexbeam Ideally needs to be higher as you say.
@m7trsradio
Ай бұрын
Great work Colin. It's a good job you think the hex is really good for all the time and money you have put into it. Like you say both are fantastic antennas. I did something similar yesterday with a vertical and a efhw. Hands down the efhw won on 40m. Will try again on another day. Great work, 73
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Yes, the investment has definitely paid off. I still wont ever give up my verticals.
@tlebryk
Ай бұрын
Use 4 RAISED tuned radials for the vertical and then compare. ❤
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
I will at some point at anothet location where I have more space. I dont however think it will make 12db difference.
@timg5tm941
Ай бұрын
@@MM0OPXFieldRadioagree Colin .. my guess is around 3dB
@MyHamRadioJourney
Ай бұрын
I also noticed that when you switched to the HEX Beam, it was more quiet. As I said before I can see some kits in your future? We all wished we had your talents to build this amazing antenna. Thanks for the videos. 73s
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Yep, much quieter, the front to back also helps as well as being horizontally polarised. Wish I had the time to sell kits but I simply don't.
@W9HJBill
Ай бұрын
I would love to have the room and spare money for a 10M tower, Hex Beam, and rotator .... and still keep my Signature 12.4 DX Commander.
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Yes, definitely keep both.
@adyg6ad73
Ай бұрын
Interesting comparison. Who knew it would so it would be so dramatic. You were beaming the Hexbeam at each station right?
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Yep. I did compare the back of the beam to the vertical and the vertical was stronger. Demonstrates the good F/B.
@timg5tm941
Ай бұрын
I think a quarter wave right by the sea seems to around the equal of a hexbeam in a typical inland garden at 30 feet above ground.
@Pioneer936
Ай бұрын
So we can deduce from that if we improve our groundplanes our antennas would radiate better
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Interesting. An A/B test over saltwater would be great mate.
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Yes, but the vertical also needs to have a clear take off. Not fences, trees, houses etc around it.
@JayN4GO
Ай бұрын
I have the same results here Colin
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
Glad to hear there is correlation. I know its not mega scientific but all I can do in my garden.
@Gabaab
Ай бұрын
I have terrible experience with verticals. Even a dipole not very high up (maybe 8-9 meters) always beats 1/4 wave vertical. And before people ask, I use lots and lots of radials, at least 16, and I have tried with raised radials and not much difference.
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
I still love my verticals. I have however seem my OCFD outperform a vertical in my garden and agree with you.
@BusDriverRFI
Ай бұрын
Is a truck faster than a car? We need to qualify the contest. What altitudes? What bands? ground quality description?
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
My altitude, my ground conditions. This is a quick and dirty A/B comparison for my QTH only. Everyone's mileage will be different, thays obvious. I note in the video I would like to re run this over saltwater. I dont have a ground conductivity meter but it would be good to have.
@BusDriverRFI
Ай бұрын
@@MM0OPXFieldRadio Walt OGO goes out and tests verticals a lot over salt water. Those are pretty impressive. But that a regular vertical raised over the ground with very few raised radials are pretty impressive as well. At one time, I had a 40 M quarter wave vertical that worked very well on my roof. Ground losses really decimate your signal unless you have a hundred radials.
@MM0OPXFieldRadio
Ай бұрын
@BusDriverRFI no arguments from me. I too have had great success with verticals over saltwater. What do all the big expeditions run when over saltwater, a VDA. Use the same VDA inland and the ground sucks all the efficiency. Unfortunately most folks with a typical garden like mine cannot have raised radials.
@francoguanziroli7867
Ай бұрын
Hi Colin, how much high from the ground is Hexbeam? Thanks and 73 de iw2hus, Franco
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