AmateurRadio.com

courtesy: googlemaps.ca

My recent blog discussing the 49m Canadian stations, discussed the need for a better picture of the CKZU (6160kHz) antenna system. Located on the mudflats of far western Richmond (Steveston) and a stone's throw from the Pacific Ocean's Georgia Strait, CKZU's  gets out very well for its compartively small 500W transmitter.


On a weekend bike ride along the West Richmond dyke, Mark (VA7MM) snapped this wonderful close-up view of the system:

courtesy: VA7MM

It appears to confirm the rumor that the antenna system consists of a two-wire beam (using wide-spaced folded dipole style elements) ... one element being driven and the other element being a reflector. According to Mark, the orientation would beam the relayed CBU-690 signal up the coast of British Columbia and not towards the SE as the original Google photo appears to indicate. It is certainly a well 'overbuilt' structure. No doubt its height contributes to its ability to radiate a good signal all around North America (and Europe).

So the next time you are tuning around 40m, drop down a bit and see how their signal sounds at your location ... you may be pleasantly surprised.