[Elecraft] Antenna question

[Don Wilhelm]

Wes and all,

 From my practical experience, your modeling analysis is correct.
I have a vertical for 80 and 40 with elevated radials (full size except 
for the loading of the 40 meter trap) - in A/B tests compared with my 80 
and 40 meter dipoles with the center at 45 feet and ends at 20 feet or 
greater, I have found that copy on *all* stations is better using the 
dipoles than with the vertical.

The only reason the vertical stays up is because it also functions as a 
160 meter inverted L which is my only 160 meter antenna at the present time.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 2/13/2014 4:04 PM, Wes (N7WS) wrote:
> Well, I was speaking of my situation.
>
> I'm in the Sonoran Desert of southern AZ with ground that varies from 
> granite to sand to caliche within a few feet distance.
>
> Although many (most?) hams consider vertical antennas to be 
> "low-angle" radiators, they often fail to consider the efficiency of 
> that "low-angle" radiator.  My modeling shows that even a low lambda 
> dipole with its "high-angle" radiation often has more signal radiated 
> at the vertical's optimum (low) angle than the vertical does.  
> Plotting the two antennas and overlaying the plots will easily show this.
>
> Now I'm not going to argue with the guys with heroic vertical phased 
> array installations and the like, but for the typical guy 
> contemplating a modest vertical installation v. a straightforward 
> dipole or "inverted-vee" I would (and did) choose the dipole. Besides, 
> I think that low angle is often overrated.
>
> Although I'm normally loath to state anecdotal evidence,  my 
> paralleled wires 40 and 80-meter inverted-vee with apex at 40 ft and 
> ends at 20 feet models as a NVIS antenna, but I have 148 DXCC 
> countries (including antipodal FT5ZM) worked on 80-meters and I don't 
> much care for 80-meters so seldom operate there.
>