Topband: LU5OM shortened dipole (inverted vee) doing a nice job

[StellarCAT]

that’s a pretty ‘general’ statement! I had a 90’ high inverted L with the bend supported by a tower – it was only about 50’ from a 143’ tower ... it had ~30 100’ radials under it ... and I managed to work 100 countries in 89 consecutive days - from Arizona! That included some pretty rare/distant entities. It worked VERY well as far as I was concerned. 

I say this only so that someone reading your comment, having only this as an option, isn’t dissuaded from trying it ... if it is what you have available – go for it! 

As for comparing a V at a low height (for most everyone it WILL be at a low height) to a vertical and saying the V was better would, I believe, suggest a feed system issue I’d think on the vertical. I’d think it would beat out a horizontal, for long distance DX, most of the time – and substantially at that. The vertical that is. OR the ground losses are really substantial. Or both.  

Just because DX is worked using a low horizontal antenna doesn’t imply something is “good” ... it only implies it is sufficient. “Good”ness is very subjective. 

but as they, as we all say – do what you have to ... 

Gary 
K9RX

They don't do well if the bend is supported by a tower, or if there are
nearby "weed" parasitic elements from 40 and 80 dipoles/vees lacking the
blocking to isolate them on 160.  L's don't do well if there are trees
inside the bend. Also an L over radials will have quite a bit more current
in the radials beneath the horizontal. This unbalances the efficiency of
the radials as normally found beneath a T or straight vertical.

Comparing an L to an inverted vee on top band is a pretty murky subject.

Some would say that arrival angles via grey line propagation can be quite
high, and thus a high angle antenna might be a lot more useful if grey line
is a frequent mode. There is also a useful NVIS mode that is rarely touted
for DX, but would come into play comparing vee's to whatever if shorter
distances are important.

73, Guy K2AV