[WVDXA] HFTA

[Charlie Young]

For those who might not be familiar with HFTA (High Frequency Terrain Analysis) software that comes bundled with the latest ARRL Antenna Book, here is a presentation the author N6BV did for the YCCC
which describes how terrain affects the vertical takeoff angle in surroundings like we live in. 
 
http://www.yccc.org/Articles/N6BV/N6BV%20Boxboro%202004.ppt#394,1,
 
I have been playing with this now for about a year and using it to plan my antenna installation.  My terrain has some of the saddleback features mentioned  (undesirable) in some directions.  Not much one can do about that.  The primary usefulness, if one lives on the side of a hill or on top of the hill, is the software can give some guidance regarding how high to put the antenna above ground. It is very easy, especially on 15 and 10 meters, to be too high if the ground slope is steep.  For example, HFTA says that on 15 and 10 meters, a single yagi higher than 25' or so will be decidedly inferior than one even 40 or 50' high toward EU at my QTH. 
 
I wish HFTA would do verticals, but it will only do horizontal antennas. 
 
73, Charlie N8RR    
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