Gee, all this discussion over what's a very relative term!  If you're a 
commercial station, and your pattern doesn't match what the FCC says it 
needs to be, then obviously your antenna isn't working.  But if you're 
content to be able to rag chew with the locals, and you can do that, then 
that random piece of wire hung out your window is working.
--
Jim, KE5AL
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alan R. Downing" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, August 31, 2013 12:34 PM
Subject: Working or not working


Good morning all,



My point was simply that it is not possible to declare an antenna as working
on the basis of such a limited data set.  There is an awful lot more
involved to just declare some antenna as working just because you were able
to carry on a local QSO, probably thru a repeater at that.



73





Alan R. Downing

Phoenix, AZ