© Christoph Petermann DF9CY 2021
Last Revision: 15 March 2021
Intention
Since February 2021 I have my Six element for 50 MHz running on my tower. This is a yagi antenna with a special designed dipole element. It is call "OP-DES" (by G0KSC) which stands for Opposite Phase Driven Element System. The antenna is described here on the site.
Now the question is, how would it perform as an antenna for Moonbounce and other DX work of course? I did some short calculation with EZNEC 6+, my favourite antenna simulation software.
What would be, if I was able to put up such an antenna for this purpose, by not regarding, that it would be almost impossible to do this in the middle of my tiny village. Other constraints are that I could put it on my existing 9.5m antenna tower. I came to the conclusion that my tower could carry it, if dimensions are not too big.
So if putting up such antenna, it should be four individual antennas in a square box at a center height of ca 11 meters with the antennas 5 meters apart from each other horizontal and vertical.
Antenna view
This is what might the antenna look like. Shown as well is the current distribution on the elements.
Diagrams for Free Space
The Azimuth or Horizontal diagram
The Elevation or Vertical diagram
Both simulations the Vertical and the Horizontal diagram show a very good performing antenna with a really good gain of 16,5 dBi and over 32 dB F/B ratio. Sidelobes are low.
I would estimate, this antenna would be a good performer for EME although the gain is not so very high.
Performance in "Real World"
In "real life" the antenna is mounted somwhere over the ground. In my case in mounted the centre of this hypothetical antenna in 10 meters above ground. This is giving me some ground gain and results in a gain of over 21 dBi.
So you can expect good signal close to moonrise or moonset, but some gain must be sacrificed to higher noise levels from the horizon.
Conclusion
This hypothetical 4 * 6 elements antenna will be a very good performer, not at least because the single antenna a very good one already.
But : for me it will stay a dream, I believe ....