What are you disagreeing with? How much DX do you work with
your NVIS antenna? Do you really think the majority of hams
are only interested in local communications on HF?

Some are...Most work only the low bands...I know many
hams who couldn't care less about dx. They only talk to
other regional "good ole boys"....
But saying that, comparing a G5RV at 50 ft, against a
dipole at 7 ft, is fairly silly. The NVIS qualities are more
due to height above ground per wavelength, than the
length of the antenna.
Overall, I think the idea of running low dipoles, or using
ground screens, and pseudo "reflectors" etc, are
generally a waste of time.. If I were working NVIS on 75m,
I'd prefer a dipole at 50ft over one at 7 ft. It will have lower
ground losses, and I'd be willing to bet the NVIS performance
would be just as good as the low antenna. But, the medium
range performance would be a good bit better. Also, you
can work dx also...I've worked dx on 75m, using a dipole
at 35 ft...It's no big deal really...Just finding the DX to talk to
is more difficult. Also...NVIS antennas are not low noise,
unless they are defective in some way...They may reduce
the reception of far off lightning, if that static arrives at
low angles.. A low dipole has great reception of noise...
Straight up....A low to medium height dipole already has
enough gain straight up. I don't really want to enhance it
further...I also want to have decent performance on longer
paths...Listen to all the BIG strappers on 75m...I bet very few
are running real low dipoles with screens...Most will be running
higher dipoles hung from towers, trees, etc...
MK

What are you disagreeing with? How much DX do you work with
your NVIS antenna? Do you really think the majority of hams
are only interested in local communications on HF?

As you may have missed previously, my comments were directed from the
standpoint of a 75M/40M operator. Personally, I don't consider a NVIS
antenna a valid antenna above those bands. So, for the two bands I have in
mind, Yes, I believe the majority of operators there are interested in
local/intra-state communications.


Ed