Yesterday I replaced my broadband Diamond Discone antenna with a dual band Diamond X-300N. The Discone is a broadband antenna with a range from 30 MHz up to 1300 MHz. The new one gives a much better reception on the 145MHz and the 430MHz bands.
Correction on HF
While I had the mast down, I also removed the connection that I made between the three band HyEndFed antenna’s earthing terminal at it’s feed-point (the little box) and the mast. From inquiries I learned that this is not necessary, even bad for the SWR, because the mast in that case will start to act as part of the antenna.
After this correction the reception on FT8 on 20 meters was much better. Stations from the America’s came in as far as California and Paraguay and even Petropavlovsk to the East.
Nice!