Malcolm Hamilton GM3TAL talked about “Using a Vertical Dipole Array on a Scottish Beach” at the LRS meeting on Feb 11th.
The vertical dipole array (VDA) has become the de facto antenna of choice for many DXpeditions to remote oceanic islands. The reasons why these antennas work well were discussed along with a brief review of the way that 2 element arrays operate.
Malcolm wanted to discover whether the VDA would work in other locations and to understand at first-hand what is needed in practice for successful operation. He described the practical construction and use of VDA antennas with Nick Henwood G3RWF (shortly after his talk to the LRS on Nov 26th) on the shores of Loch Fyne during the CQWW contest in November 2014. Malcolm reported on the outcome and offered hints for others who might be tempted to use this interesting antenna.