[HCDX]: fwd message: Wellbrook selling now to USA & Canada

["PPijpers" <p.pijpers@xxxxxxxxxx>]

From: rec.radio.shortwave:


"Radiomatt" <radiomatt@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:19991219094240.17310.00000090@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> The reviews I've seen for the Wellbrook K9AY loop are quite interesting.
> See: http://www.wellbrook.uk.com/reviews/BDXC.html
>
>
> What I'm curious about is if anyone has used one over here, and the
source, and
> a review of performance. The problem is that Wellbrook can't export to the
US.
> Who sells it here?

Matt,

Partly due to my persistence, Wellbrook is now selling to USA and Canada
DXers. I ordered the unit direct from the UK (no other sources that I know
of) and it cost me $230 US (140 GB Pounds) including the shipping.

The Wellbrook K9AY is supplied as an interface box (goes between the loops),
a control unit, and a roll of 2-cond. wire for switching voltage going to
the loops. The user needs to supply a decent 12vdc *regulated* powersupply.
The total loop circumference is determined by the user; I sized this K9AY as
86 ft. loops. (User supplies loop wire, too.)

For the K9AY's center pole I'm using a nifty, collapsible fiberglas mast
supplied by DK9SQ in Germany. The mast is 48" collapsed, but extends to
about 33 feet.  It costs $99 plus $5 shipping from this USA source:
http://www.bright.net/~kanga/kanga/

I extend the mast to the 8th section for the K9AY, which puts the apex of
the loops at 26-1/2 feet high.

I used the Wellbrook K9AY this weekend for the first time on a WA coast
DXpedition, along with three 1000-ft. Beverage antennas for comparison.

For MW DX it performed admirably and equalled the performance of Beverage
antennas at times. However, it was easy to miss a het or audio on a split
frequency because of the controls need critical adjustment (i.e. it's not a
good antenna to use while scanning for hets between domestics). There
occasionally seems to be a slight reduction in domestic channel splatter
when using the K9AY for trans-Pacific MW DX targets.

The K9AY's directionality--considering its size--is remarkable.
Front-to-back ratio of 30-40db is typical, which is enough to completely
eliminate many co-channel stations on mediumwave.

On shortwave the K9AY is a low noise omni-directional antenna, filling in
the gaps between the Beverages' coverage. For my afternoon/evening Indian
and African loggings, the K9AY was consistently the best antenna (often the
*only* antenna hearing the DX). "On target" Beverages, such as those we
aimed due west for Papua New Guinea, always gave clearer, lower noise
signals on PNGs than the K9AY. It's tough to beat looking "down the barrel"
with a Beverage antenna!

Anyone interested in emailed pictures of the K9AY hardware, and/or a
Realaudio demo clip of the K9AY's mediumwave DX performance, please contact
me at dxing@xxxxxxxxxxx . The demo compares front/back ratio of the K9AY
against reception of JOUB, Akita, Japan on 774 kHz.

Guy Atkins
Bonney Lake, WA  USA


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