[Elecraft] Re:QRP Antenna

[Stuart Rohre]

Verticals are probably preferred for tight locations, and in any case have a 
nice low angle of radiation even given ground mounting, or low elevated 
mounting.  Of the two, if you can get the antenna up six or more feet, so 
much the better.  Then you could use gull wing elevated radials to improve 
it further without needing more than say 8 radials.  If you have few 
radials, be sure to put them in the directions of ham population centers.

Don't forget that you can use long path to advantage when attempting to work 
DX.   Long path can be skewed from the great circle projection so if the 
dipole is not aligned perfectly, it may still work for you.  When using an 
inverted Vee, you "might" get some gain putting a director wire slanted on 
one side, to augment radiation in the desired direction.  The sloping Vee 
beam idea from Ten Tec is also of merit for the higher bands when they are 
open.  100 foot legs or more, and try to have the antenna 30 feet high at 
the apex of the vee, where you feed it.  Ten Tec model is terminated, but 
non terminated is easier, and then will give you bi-directional coverage, 
albeit one at a high angle and the other low.  Still might make for 
interesting DX.  I have used 5 wave legs on a Vee beam at 10 meters, and I 
can testify that is a DX burner!

-Stuart
K5KVH