TopBand: Vertical vs horizontal

[K2EK@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-10-20 09:43:03 EDT, g3xtt@lineone.net writes:

<< Have been watching the discussion with interest. I suspect it's not so
much
 vertical vs. horizontal antennas, but high-angle vs. low-angle radiation.
 As such, to be a "big gun" on 160 you really need to be able to cater for
 both >>


I could not agree more...

Whether it is geography, local topology, timoe of day or season, I am
convinced there is no  one "best" antenna.

I have gone though a series of antennas at my current notheast hilltop
location over the past 15 years, finding none were "top banana" in every
situation (base line assumption - contacts more than 1500 miles distant).

I started with an inverted vee at 90 feet.  Absolutely the final word for
VK/ZL and the Caribbean, but merely an also ran for Europe;  nada to JA.
  That evolved into a pair of 1/4 wave slopers (top fed).  Better for Europe
and mighty fine for VK/ZL (and responsible for a rather interesting opening
to ZL as documented in K1ZM's new book) - JA finally workable.  Eventually,
the wires came down, being replaced by a shunt feed for the tower  (complete
with 160 radials, covering well over an acre of aforementioned hilltop).
 Real pileup buster just about everywhere.  Top tier to Europe - most of the
time...  JA, VS6 at will (well, almost :) )  ...  Interestingly, my
subjective feeling is that VK/ZL lost something (a suprise), and lost a lot
in the Caribbean (no suprise).  I have since supplemented the shunt fed tower
(vertical, if you will) with an inverted vee hanging from a tree limb at 55
feet.  Carribbean back up there, it is sometimes better to Europe and still
down to VK/ZL (it is on the east side of the hill - no trees tall enough on
top).

All things considered - the vertical is the best all around performer over
time I have tried - despite truly stinko soil conductivity (rock, rock,
everywhere).  It is also a lot more durable than the wire antennas (wind and
ice loading are a real problem).  Yet despite that, it is nice to be able to
crank in an S unit or more at times by simply switching to a horizonal
antenna.


Bill
K2EK



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