Cecil Moore wrote in message
I'll bet you could design a G5RV that is virtually
identical in performance to a dipole on 75m and 40m. The losses due
to SWR are pretty negligible using RG8x.

The only way to do that and keep a dipole pattern on both bands is to
run parallel dipoles on one coax. And thats what I run. If I only have
room for one wire, I'll make a dipole for the lowest band, and
"jumper" the higher bands, using insulators and clips to bypass them.
Still dipole performance for each band...

One note, however. The G5RV's null off the end of the antenna is about
6dB deeper than a 1/2WL dipole on 40m. Perhaps that explains part of
your findings.

Nope, don't think so. Wouldn't that be on 20m? We used it on 80m. The
pattern should have been about the same as the dipole, considering
it's shorter than the dipole by 20-30 ft. The problem with the one we
ran was feedline and tuner losses. It made my 100w feel like 10w at
the rate we were cutting through the summer noise. Worst antenna I've
ever used on that band. What I never could understand is why we
were using a "compromise" antenna out on field day, when we have
enough room for anything. That seemed to be the normal pattern every
year, until I put my foot down..."for me to use personally" I never
could fathom that, when a dipole is only 20-30 ft longer, and the
overall efficiency is usually a large magnitude greater. Like I said,
after that field day, and all my lost hair from pulling it out, I said
never, ever, again.
If anyone wants to run one of those compromise antennas, G5RV,
windoms, etc, etc, be my guest. But don't expect me to use it. I'll
run like anthrax spores are on the radio. I can't afford to lose
any more hair. MK