Vertical antennas, an interesting discussion

[Andrew (grayhat)]

The infos are here

https://practicalantennas.com/designs/v ... s/5eights/

in short, a "poor" quarter wave vertical can outperform a 5/8 if installed at the "right" height, the trick is to adjust the top height

[KL7MJ]

A tribander on a 100 foot tower will outperform just about anything, but it's really hard to fit one in my backpack. I think the same thing applies here - a 1/4 vertical is probably easier to carry and set up than a 5/8 vertical, so even if it may technically have better performance it loses in the "total usability" category!

73,
Mike, KL7MJ

[Andrew (grayhat)]

A tribander on a 100 foot tower will outperform just about anything, but it's really hard to fit one in my backpack. I think the same thing applies here - a 1/4 vertical is probably easier to carry and set up than a 5/8 vertical, so even if it may technically have better performance it loses in the "total usability" category!

73,
Mike, KL7MJ

You're missing the point, Mike, pick a 1/4 wave Lambda for (say) the 10m band, that will be about 2.6m long, now calculate the length for a 5/8 Lambda for the same band, you'll get about 6.5m, now let's say that the 5/8 is placed on a 1m pole, the UPPER end of the 5/8 will then be at 7.5m from ground; now, get back to the 1/4 vertical (2.6m) and install it so that the UPPER end (the TOP of the antenna) will be at 7.5m from ground, just like the top of the 5/8 antenna, and you'll have the SAME radiation angle and gain, and all this using a 5m pole to raise the 1/4 TOP END at the desired height