TopBand: vertical vs horiz

[Tom Rauch]

My results agree with Milt's.

I've been making tests on 160 since last spring with a 250 ft high 
dipole. That antenna eventually evolved into a 2 element phased 
array, selectable east, west, or as a simple single dipole (by 
detuning the other dipole).

Comparing that antenna to a 200 foot vertical with 100 200 foot long 
radials, the vertical generally wins by one to two S units.

The only regular exception to that rule is sunrise peaks, where the 
dipole sometimes holds the band for an extra half-hour and 
sometimes beats the vertical by two S units or more during that 
time period. Also in geomagnetic storms the dipole sometimes is 
better. It has been better to Europe exactly two times since last 
spring, both during severe geomagnetic storms!

A 70 foot high horizontal NEVER has beat the high dipole, except 
within 150 miles. The vertical, statistically, is better 70% of the 
time than the 250 ft high dipole, with the two antennas equal about 
22% of the time, and the dipole winning 8% of the time. That 
includes sunrise peaks. When sunrise peaks are thrown out, the 
vertical wins just over 98% of the time. The high dipole isn't even 
better at distances of 300 miles, and neither is the low dipole. It 
doesn't even receive better most of the time.

I'm sure glad someone else had similar results, thanks for the info 
Milt!
73, Tom W8JI
w8ji@contesting.com


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