Topband: 5/8 wavelength vertical is mo betta than shorter versions??

[john battin]

As W8JI pointed out, it is a matter of angle. At my antenna farm a few years ago, I Built two "killer" beverages. Each was a pair of phased 1500 foot beverages ... one set on Europe and one on Japan. They were useless compared to the vertical array and other beverages 600 to 800 feet long. I took doen the European pair but left the NW pair up for two seasons. A few times it worked better on a couple UA0 signals. There are more times 160 is open to very high angles than very low ones.

John
 

> Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2013 10:45:41 -0700
> From: ac6dd at yahoo.com
> To: topband at contesting.com
> Subject: Topband: 5/8 wavelength vertical is mo betta than shorter versions??
> 
> Note that for 1 kW of applied power, the maximum inverse distance field 1 
> >mile from a 5/8-wave vertical is 275 mV/m compared to 195 mV/m from a 
> >1/4-wave vertical. >The difference is 20log(275/195) = 2.99 dB, which supports the point of my 
> >post.
> Sure, over perfect ground the 5/8 wl has 3db more gain at 0 degrees elevation.. 
> 
> You are talking about theoretical gain. I am talking about real world experience.
> 
> Even if you have access to a location surrounded by Saltwater (like me) the max gain of a real 5/8 wl vertical over 1/4 wl is going to be about 2.2 dB,and the elevation angle 5 degrees, the vertical beamwidth 17 degrees.
> Over Average ground - which was where we set up the two verticals in the first place,
> the gain of a 5/8 wl is some 2dB less than the 1/4 wl vertical, the main lobe at 15 deg, and the BW 23 deg.
> The 1/4 wl main lobe is at 26 deg with BW 42 deg!
> After having said that if I only could put up one antenna I would choose an Inverted L over salt water (again).
> Niko AC6DD 
> _________________
> Topband Reflector