On Nov 9, 10:02 pm, Eric F. Richards wrote:
"Steve" wrote:
I've been reading about these and am intrigued.

These antennas are often mounted in a sloping configuration, but how
steep can the angle be? I'm sure the steepness of the angle is going to
effect the antenna's radiation pattern, but will how? Does it cause the
antenna to become highly directional as the angle increases?

- Actually, the idea behind the slope is to make it more
omnidirectional.

That is one of the the reasons often cited for Sloping the Wire
Antenna Element : The Inverted "V" being another example.

- The ideal slope is something like 30 degrees,
- but there's no hard-and-fast rule on this.

Yes 30 Degrees works well for most Sloping Receiving Antennas.
Horizontal (Flat) Wire = 100% Horizontal Dimension Area of Radiation.
Vertcal (Upright) Wire = 100% Vertical Dimension Area of Radiation.
45 Degree Sloping Wire = 50% Horizontal and 50% Vertical
Dimension Area of Radiation.
30 Degree Sloping Wire = 87% Horizontal Dimension and
50% Vertical Dimension Areas of Radiation.
- - - Roughly speaking.
The 30 Degree Sloping Wire Antenna Element to some
degree can be though of as the same space equalent as
an Inverted "L" Antenna which would make up the other
Two Sides of a Triangle created by the Sloping Side.
* 30 Ft Sloper Antenna would take up the same space as
a 15 Ft Vertical by 26 Ft Horizontal Inverted "L" Antenna.
Note - This Inverted "L" would be 41 Ft long (+11 Ft) and
have 37% more Wire-in-the-Air.
* 52 Ft Sloper Antenna would take up the same space as
a 26 Ft Vertical by 45 Ft Horizontal Inverted "L" Antenna
Note - This Inverted "L" would be 71 Ft long (+19 Ft) and
have 37% more Wire-in-the-Air.

- - - For some it simply comes down to the fact that the
Sloping Wire Antenna may be eaiser to Rig then the
Inverted "L" Wire Antenna.

numb3rs ~ RHF