[Hallicrafters] inverted V

[Bill Gerhold]

An inverted "V" is not as efficient as a horizontal dipole for the following
reason.

Signal cancellation!  Cancellation of the signal due to the legs of the "V"
not positioned 180 degrees from each other.  Try this thought experiment.

Start to move the end points of the "V" together closer and closer until
they are about 2" apart.  What do you have? A reasonable resemblance of
parallel feeders or a transmission line.

In an inverted "V", and depending on the proximity of each leg to the other
including the frequency of operation (HF), there will be a certain amount of
signal cancellation due to currents in the opposite legs being 180 degrees
out of phase.  A parallel feeder transmission line has almost 100%
cancellation in the HF region.

This is why parallel feeders or a balanced line does not radiate when
connected to a balanced antenna, a dipole.  A dipole is simply a parallel
feeder physically split 180 degrees from each other.  Since both legs are no
longer next to each other to provide cancellation, signal radiation occurs
from your dipole.  There is zero cancellation.

There are many articles that quote the no less than 90 degree separation.
Why?  Because less then this, cancellation of the signal starts to become a
problem and your signal starts to suffer.  You must ask yourself, if 90
degrees is a minimum, wouldn't 180 degrees be better?  It is!

An inverted "V" because of its construction (the legs closer to each other),
still has a certain amount of signal cancellation whereas a true dipole or
flat top does not.  Therefore, an inverted "V" is not as efficient as a flat
top but the difference is probably too small to be noticed on a distant
receiver.

K2WH