Hi Jim Twenty years or so ago NM7M wrote a program in DOS that predicted the position of the "tilt" in the E layer on the dark side of the terminator, more than usual refraction at that point causing a steeply downward signal as it exits the layer. Believing this, I made sure I had some antennas that responded to high angle, and they often provided better results than the high vertical loops just at that time, resulting in hundreds of early morning QSOs with VK and ZL. The band "opened earlier" for the lower angle response antennas, but they ceased to be better about half an hour before sunrise. It was common experience for West Coast stations to see better signals from the Pacific on Inverted Vees than on monopoles just before sunrise. I suppose if one has only one antenna, a low angle response one is better for DX, as long as it has some response at 20 or 30 degrees, but some QSOs will be missed. Bob VE7BS
----- Original Message ----- From: "Jan Erik Holm" <sm2...@bdtv.se> To: <topband@contesting.com> Sent: Sunday, October 16, 2011 8:15 AM Subject: Re: Topband: high take-off angle > This I have NEVER seen in SM2 land, the lower angle the > better. Jim SM2EKM > -------------------------- _______________________________________________ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK