Topband: One Vertical vs. Another

[Chortek, Robert L]

Fellow Topbanders,
 
Can anyone tell me which antenna is likely to perform better:
 
1.    I am considering buying/building a 60 foot vertical made of
telescoping aluminum tubing. It will be ground mounted two feet from the
side of our house and be adjacent to the house for about 15 feet.  It
will have elevated "gull wing" radials.  It will be loaded for 160 with
a 24" high loading coil 8" in diameter made of 1/4" copper tubing.
 
2.    The present antenna is a 38' linear loaded vertical with a
Butternut 160 mtr loading coil, mounted on the chimney at about 15',
with elevated radials.
 
My questions is whether I can expect significantly better performance if
I buy/build antenna No. 1, given that it is ground mounted and adjacent
to the house (that is, within about 2' from the house) for about the
first 15' of the antenna, until the vertical passes the roof line.  I
don't know if the fact of ground mounting, obstruction, and adjacent
material (wood, stucco, chicken wire in the wall) will degrade
performance to the point where I am just as well off with what I have. 
 
Any input would be very much appreciated.
 
P.S.  I can't mount the new vertical anywhere else, and the best I could
do would be to raise the base to about 4' above the ground, if that
would help any. 
 
73,
 
Bob/AA6VB
 
Robert Chortek 
Berliner Cohen
Ten Almaden Boulevard, Eleventh Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
ph.: 408-286-5800
fax: 408-998-5388
e-mail: robert.chortek at berliner.com  


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