I’ve been a big fan of the Par Electronics antennas. That started with their ingeniously elegant six-meter Moxon. It fits in anyone’s backyard and makes a real difference on six meters.
Then I started using their omniangles for 50, 144, 222, and 432 MHz. They use the same type of construction as the Moxon. Plus, they have outstanding omnidirectional characteristics. Please read all about it at Par Electronics Omniangles. If you want more background, please dive deeper into the testing report and the Omni FAQ page.
You can see the size of the six-meter Omniangle in the photo above, where I’m holding it sideways so you can get a better idea of its size.
For this round of the antenna workshop, I decided to mount two of the two-meter omniangles in a stacked arrangement. This is expected to provide a 3 dB gain over the single omni. I’m planning to use this for local rag chewing and nets. It will also prove helpful during contests in picking up local QSOs without pointing the antenna.
Nearby, I’ve posted a couple of photos of the setup. I used a PVC pipe hanging from the roof inside the attic. It’s a two-story house. So the height is pretty good. The required stacking distance is anything between 4 and 5 feet. I’ve used 4.5 feet.
In between the two-meter antennas, I’ve mounted the single six-meter omni. The cables are routed through the attic and down into the ham shack. In the photos, you can see the HVAC ductwork and chimney. I’m sure that doesn’t help the radiation pattern. But it’s what I’ve got!
I’m looking forward to trying out this setup for local QSOs and in the June VHF Contest.
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[…] helped me on two meters was using the stacked Par Electronics omniangles. I could listen and send a few CQs without moving the antenna. That helped me snag a few QSOs and […]