Topband: Low Dipoles

[Roger Kennedy]

Yes Steve, I have a big custom 160m choke right at the feedpoint of my
Dipole . . even if I didn't, most of the feeder runs horizontally in my loft
at right angles to the dipole.

Thank you for your comments regarding my Signal on 160, and I think most
people I work regularly would say the same. (However, when I tried raising
this topic on a certain Forum a year ago, several people said I was clearly
lying - there's no way a low dipole could ever come close to a decent
vertical on 160m !)

As I said before, I personally think it's a combination of the two . . . a
low Dipole has more medium-angle radiation than EZXNEC suggests (as it
over-rates the effect of the ground on 160m) . . . plus most DX Propagation
on Top Band is NOT very low angle.

Regarding Receiving . . . sadly I live in an ordinary suburban house on the
edge of the city (with dozens of other houses within one wavelength) . . .
only one leg of my Dipole fits in my garden, so I certainly have no room for
Beverages !  I just try and do the best I can from an ordinary QTH.

73 Roger G3YRO