"Bob Bob" wrote -
Tnxs for that Reg

What is the generally accepted "number" in either S points or dB of
employing horizontal instead of vertical for noise reasons?

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Bob,

First of all we must entirely disregard the opinions of individuals
who may be located in high or low noise districts, areas or regions. I
myself live in an industrial, densely populated, area near to a
factory with a dozen electrical arc welding machines. Others live out
in the wilderness, isolated from modern, electrical noise generating
civilisation.

There exist statistics of AVERAGE field strength noise levels
experienced in cities, small towns and in the open countryside. I have
forgotten where to find such statistics but Google may help.

The statistics depend very much on frequency. They vary greatly
between ELF and HF. Noise levels decrease by crudely 10 dB or 20 dB
per octave or decade increase in frequency.

Furthermore, at ELF and VLF, noise propagates to far greater distances
than at HF. There are always continuous world-wide electrical storms
somewhere on the Earth's surface.

At 10 KHz noise levels may be several hundred milli-volts per meter.
At 7 MHz they may be microvolts per meter. At 30 MHz they are of the
order of the internal receiver noise.

The noise level indicated by your S-meter is a function of the size of
the antenna relative to wavelength and antenna efficiency. It can be
crudely calibrated in terms of micro-volts per metre using a little
arithmetic. Learn how to estimate.

In my own experience (which as I say should be disregarded) the
difference in noise level between a horizontal dipole and a vertical
is about one or two S-points on the 160 metre band. (Or a difference
of 6 or 12 dB.)

On the other hand, distant stations come in stronger using a 150-feet,
vertical (inverted-L) than they do on a dipole. Not that I have ever
used the two types of antenna simultaneously. It's just my opinion.
So I prefer the inverted-L. In general, the signal to noise ratio is
better and there is less fading. One hop instead of two, via the
F2-layer, at night, using a dipole?
----
Reg, G4FGQ