[TowerTalk] 160M Inverted Vee

[Bill Tippett]

N6RK:

 >If your dipole seems good compared to a vertical on 160m, it
is more likely because the vertical is poor than because the
dipole is good.

         Not necessarily.  It simply means
propagation is high-angle instead of low-angle:

http://users.vnet.net/btippett/new_page_10.htm

1.  For angles <<40 degrees, my 3-el vertical
array is best.

2.  For angles ~40 degrees, there is little
difference between the two.

3.  For angles >>40 degrees, the inverted-V
(or low dipole) is best.

4.  95-99% of propagation on 160 is low-angle,
but high-angle sometimes exists around sunset,
sunrise and in disturbed geomagnetic conditions.
A high-angle antenna is also better for local
work (<300 miles) at night.

5.  When high-angle propagation predominates,
Beverages do not work well, but an inverted-V
will work well both for RX and TX.  I have
seen differences of +10 dB for my inverted-V
in such conditions, including long-haul DX
such as YB from Colorado or VQ9 from NC.

6.  If I had to pick **one** antenna on 160,
it would be a vertical.  However, if you want
to cover the 1-5% case when high angles are
predominant, an inverted-V or dipole is a
good complement to a vertical/Beverages.

         I have DXCC 319 on 160 and have done
reasonably well in 160 contests.  I would not
want to be without my inverted-V as a complement
to my vertical array, but would always choose
the latter if I could have only one antenna.

                                 73,  Bill  W4ZV