Walter,
Other than in very broad terms, there's not really
any answer to that question. If you're hearing stations
in Egypt, Japan and Moscow, then I'd say your antenna
wasn't doing bad at all. Could you beat it's performance
with some other antenna? Probably, but do you have the
resources to put up that better antenna? Beats me...
'Doc

Very interesting subject. It's sort of like getting new eye glasses. You
don't realize how bad the old glasses were until you get new glasses.
With regards to antennas we had the tin (steel) roof on our home
replaced with a normal roof. After a few months I have come the
conclusion my antenna system is working much better now. It was like
getting a new antenna. I had no idea the steel roof was effecting the
antenna performance. The SWR is the same but the 3 elment beam seems to
work better with the new roof.

Dick, aa5vu