[600MRG] modeling tutorial

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 7 Sep 2015 at 17:48, D.J.J. Ring, Jr. wrote:

> Rev. Rudy, "Hallowed Preacher of LF (and MF)," pray tell which is "better"
> to invest time in?
> 
> 4NEC2 or EZNEC?

I found both of those to be somewhat difficult after trying them. They are not 
"intuitively obvious" let's say.

At the suggestion of a ham on the ham-antennas forum, I tried a 
German-Japanese antenna modeling package named MMANA-GAL, which, 
like EZNEC, is free to download in its "basic" version.

I was able to model several antennas with that, within only a day or two, and 
the results were very good.

In fact, I was able to help an Alaskan ham, AL7N, whose forte is emergency 
traffic handling by CW, get rid of his "worm-warmer" and install an antenna 
which works far better even in his too-small lot.

I was able to prove that his original "worm-warmer" was exactly that. After 
installing what I came up with using MMANA-GAL, his signal into the states 
improved quite a bit. From S-3 to S-4, to S-7 to S-9, to those stations with 
whom he regularly communicates. We were all very pleased.

I was also able to prove to both him and to me that my vertical was causing 
an at least 15 dB reduction in MY signal level to his horizontal one, and vice 
versa, even on 20 meters. I had not thought that cross-polarization would 
make that much difference at HF, but apparently it can.

Ken W7EKB