28 Apr 2019

What polarisation for VHF and UHF DX?

Ever since I started in the hobby I was told, "vertical FM for locals and horizontal for SSB/CW". Now, like many things, I have found that so called "experts" are not! My own, albeit limited, experience on 2m and 70cm is, at best, inconclusive. On 70cm FM I have made some great DX QSOs and also on 2m FM with vertical polarisation.  At the same time I have worked some great DX on 2m SSB with horizontal polarisation.

According to Southgate News, someone has done some recent research. It would not surprise me if there was actually little difference! Funny how old wives tales become facts. Don't always believe what so called "experts" have to say.

Many said my own earth-electrode "antennas" in the ground would not work, but these have now been used from ELF-MF successfully and I am pretty sure at least one VLF grabber is now using such a structure. No, experts are often wrong. Always challenge! That is part of the fun of our hobby.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/april/horizontal-versus-vertical-antenna-polarisation-the-debate.htm#.XMVi2PZFy00

This was a talk on the polarisation of 6m signals given to the Reading club. The link worked for me, even though I am not a club member.

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!msg/radarc/3mWN6Pc-Buw/D4OQZi8NBAAJ
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1 comment:

  1. Barry G8AGNMon Apr 29, 07:31:00 am GMT+1

    Propagation does not depend on what type of modulation you use but on the wave polarisation (but even then only when you are near to the surface of the Earth).

    Many, many years ago when Band 2 FM radio was being considered for broadcasting, the BBC ran a series of long term propagation tests over some fixed paths to try and ascertain which polarisation was best. Hence the use of horizontally polarised FM aerials.

    73

    Barry, G8AGN

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