[TowerTalk] Radials, verticals and horizontal antennas

[w2cdo at comcast.net]

It has been empirically proven that a ground-mounted vertical with a dozen radials and an antenna matching unit (e.g., "tuner") is a much more effective antenna than a dipole up 1/2 wavelength on paper.  ;-)

If you' ve got room for a 40 meter dipole, you have room for a 40 meter half square, which will - I guarantee - beat the pants off the dipole for DX or contesting.  Half squares on 20 and 15 also work pretty good in their proper directions (broadside to the axis of wire) and they hear pretty good.  They don't need radials and they are naturally 50 ohm antennas.  You do need trees or supports, but they don't have to be high for the antennas to be effective.  On 20 get the antenna up 25' and you'll sound like a low yagi.  And the price is right.. well, until the PRC discovered copper, that is.  

73, Peter W2CDO