[TowerTalk] How high is enough

[K8RI]

On 7/30/2013 10:46 PM, Jim in Waco wb5oxq wrote:
> When choosing a height for a beam is 1/4 wave above ground at the lowest frequency enough?  1/2 wave?  I see Force 12 rating the gain on their beams at 74'1".
> Why that height?  At 20 meters is 100' a lot better than say 60'?  I am talking about relatively flat terrain.  I see Stepp-ir makes a beam that even has a
80 meter dipole in it.  Would that workmuch better on 80 than a wire 
dipole at an equal height?  I have never had enough land to put upmore 
than 50' bit nest
year I might have over an acre and be able to go much higher.  I just 
wonder how high when you spend more to go higher than it is worth?  If I 
had the room for
  a wire dipole to run any direction, what would be the best choice from 
central Texas considering being in the center of the country east/west 
wise?  I want
to get the best bang for my buck!  wb5oxq

As others have said, there is no easy answer. Actually there are a 
number of answers, all different, all correct, and no small amount 
depending on what distances, on what bands you wish to work.
Different times of the day, the ionosphere will favor different angles 
of radiation.  It also changes with the seasons and sunspot cycles.

73 and good reading,

Roger (K8RI)
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