Dear Rick (no call sign):

A 0.5 WL dipole almost on the ground will be inefficient. What the
dipole does radiate will, at high take-off-angles, be close to circular
(independent of azimuth) well past 100 miles.

If both efficiency and circularity are important, an excellent solution
is what the CCIR calls a TR2/2/.2. That is two, parallel one-wavelength
dipoles both in a horizontal plane 0.2 WL above the ground that are 0.5 WL
apart. With the dipoles fed in the middle with equal lengths of open line
that meet at a point midway between the dipoles, one can achieve a
reasonable input impedance.

In any case, I suggest you avail yourself of the benefit of raising
whatever you use to a height of something like 0.2 WL and less than 0.3 WL.

73, Mac N8TT
--
J. Mc Laughlin; Michigan U.S.A.
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