Thanks to all the replies! Yes, I didn't probably have as many
radials down as I should for the HF2V. I think I will keep it stored
away and take my chances on an inverted v antenna and feed it with
ladder line. I am going to put a mast above the tower.
73,
Terry, WK0F
(Mark Keith) wrote in message om...
"N9EFJ" wrote in message . ..
What effect would explain the " better for DX"?
Less Noise - Increased signal - Both?

The angles used for low band dx are very low in general. Below 10
degrees.
So naturally, you want an antenna that favors the lower angles, rather
than a cloudwarmer that favors many of them. Or even worse, straight
up. At night on 40m, my 10 ft mobile antenna is stronger 1000 miles
away, than my dipole here at the house which is about 40 ft up. The
mobile whip is much less efficient, but what power it does radiate, is
at the perfect angle for the path I'm working.
As far as the original poster, I'd use either the HF2V as a ground
plane, with elevated radials, or I'd extend the mast and run inv L's.
But I'm almost positive that the GP would smoke the inv L on 40m. Even
with as few as 4 radials. I've run the same antenna on 40m, and it
worked great. But on 80m, he would need double the radials, to equal
the same efficiency on 40m, not counting loading losses. Also, just
guessing , but I bet the lack of success with it the last two winters
was due to a lack of radials...You need a lot if ground mounted. Well,
unless you like a mediocre signal...:/ If he had 10 radials, elevated
at 32 or so ft, on 80m with that HF2V, I think it would work quite
well. They can slope down to the ground, but don't let them touch.
Probably better than anything else mentioned, being as the current is
elevated up off the ground. As far as radials, you should always think
in terms of wavelength off the ground. For the same height, the needed
number increases the lower in freq you go, for a certain efficiency.
On 40m, at 32 ft , it's a 1/4 wave up. At that height, 4 radials
equals about 60 on the ground.
But on 80m, it will only be an 1/8 wave up. So 4 radials would only
equal about 32 on the ground. And some will differ, but I find 32
radials on the ground to be fairly mediocre. And my ground is pretty
good as far as ground goes. Once you get to the equal of about 60
radials on the ground, it will really start to play. Or that's what I
notice. Yes, in theory, the difference should be small, but in the
real world it seems a quite noticable increase to me. MK