[UK-CONTEST] 80m Low Dipole

[mm0bqi]

With IOTA almost upon us it is time for the 'BQI annual antenna question,
this year it is on 80m options.
Last year's question was on HF vertical dipoles.  Real world conclusion
from the contest was that they worked okay but did not set the heather on
fire.  I am in the process of constructing the baluns described by GM3SEK
just in case I go down a similar route this year. (These must be one of the
best bang for buck items as the ferrites are only £3 each.
Complete WORKING balun for less than £12 can't be bad!)
>From the Summer Isles I find it very difficult to work the six or so island
groups that are within a couple of hundred miles.
I also find a distinct lack of nice 15 point G stations in the log.
This year I will use the same inverted L as last year, 12m vertical section
on a fishing pole and then 8m sloping down at a shallow angle with 4
elevated radials.  Seems to work okay into EU.
Is there anything to be gained by one of these two options?
1.  Straight dipole, ends at 10m.
2.  Inverted V with apex at 10m.
I suspect because of the low heights both would perform in a similar
manner.  Would putting another dipole on the ground/few feet off as a
reflector make any difference?  Now that the antenna rules have changed I
could try this.
My previous experiments with low dipoles have on the whole produced no
advantage in filling in this blank hole.  Maybe I just need to watch my
time for moving to 80m to ensure I catch as many Gs as possible!  Time on
the island will be short so very little time to experiment but I would like
to try something new.
Anyway all thoughts on the antenna situation would be appreciated.
73
Jim, MM0BQI
GM1J from EU092, Summer Isles. (Is this the first 2012 IOTA plug on the
reflector?)