I think the answer is highly dependent on your station's geography and
configuration. A couple of possible answers.
1) For close in, 'domestic' stuff, an inverted V works fine. I use one with
its apex at 65' for NAQP e.g., and can work out to Wyoming and Arizona (from
San Francisco) with 100 watts. Basically, this is a crappy, but easy to
install, antenna.
2) Next step up, I think, is an inverted L. Get the corner up as high as
you can, and feed it against as big a ground system as you can. You can use
2 elevated radials if necessary, but keep them at least 15' above the
ground.
3) My favorite design, which to be fair and honest I should say I have never
actually implemented, is a capacity hat shortened 1/4 wave vertical. Using
a cheap commercially available 50' push-up mast and a simple aluminum tubing
'stinger', you can get 70' of height pretty easily. Use wire for the first
45' or so of the top set of guys (3), and you have a very nice capacity hat
loaded vertical. A beta coil will match it to 50 ohms, and away you go. As
always, you need a good ground system for this to work. This antenna will
have all of its radiation vertically polarized, which is best for 'DX' type
communications on 160.
Cavaet Emptor. I am not a 160 guy.
***dan, K6IF
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