[Elecraft] verical dipoles (was RE: QRP viability during solar cycle min?)

[Jessie Oberreuter]

On Thu, 12 Jan 2006, Stephen W. Kercel wrote:

> [...] don't be too enchanted by the low angle pattern, it is also a bit 
> lossy. If you overlay your EZNEC vertical dipole elevation pattern with 
> the EZNEC broadside elevation pattern of a straight dipole at say 5/8 
> wavelength elevation, you'll see that although the vertical concentrates 
> its energy at low angles, the actual dBi values are not that much better 
> than the horizontal.

      Indeed, a low dipole generally has much better low angle output than 
a vertical, but is a lousy dx antenna b/c it isn't a selective listener. 
This has lead me to consider using a vertical for listening, and a low 
dipole for trasmitting.
      I've been lead to believe that polarization has little effect on HF 
reception and propagation outside of the ground wave radius, so next Field 
Day, I'm hoping to see if we can't use the above arrangement to kill two 
birds with one stone when working dx.  By making t/r antenna switch boxes 
for all of the rigs, it should be possible for us to reduce cross-station 
interference, and have more low angle punch, by having both stations on a 
given band tx on dipoles and rx on verticals.