On Sun, 6 Apr 2008 14:31:49 -0400, Scott MacKenzie wrote:
>That was what I was told - that I would be wasting my time and time
>of everyone else by putting up a simple vertical on 80M.
Horsepucky. A REASONABLY EFFICIENT vertical will outperform a dipole
that's up a quarter wave on axis of the dipole by an S-unit at low
angles, which is what you want for a lot of DX. At higher angles the
dipole wins -- on axis.
Reasonably efficient means
1) close to a quarter wave -- loading, if needed based on height,
needs to be efficient. Top loading is efficient.
AND
2) a reasonably good radial system -- at least 16 radials, more is
better. A lousy radial system will suck power.
AND
3) nothing in the near field to interfere with it. A feedline to
another antenna that's close to a half wave on 80 would likely
interfere and skew the pattern.
Verticals have a bad rap because most that hams install are built
and/or installed inefficiently, and/or because they only use them for
local ragchewing. Many (most?) commercially built verticals are pretty
inefficient, primarily because they use a lot of power-sucking tricks
to "cover all bands" or because they aren't long enough.
73,
Jim Brown K9YC
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