HF Dipoles: Horizontal vs Inverted-V vs 'Sloper'

Dipoles compared: Horizontal vs Inverted-V vs 'Sloper'. Performance vs practicality plus other considerations when fitting a dipole in limited space.

[@davidcolton1957]

This is a great video Steve wished I'd seen something like this when I got on the air in the 80's! It explains why my half size G5RV crammed into the attic with the ends at 90 degrees performs better than I could have ever imagined. I've always believed that simple dipoles work perfectly well for most of us everyday operators. Mind you my best 10m setup was a vertical ¼ wave length of copper pipe with a sheet of metal as ground using a Bob Dylan LP as the insulator between! 73's G7SQY

[@oh3spnfinland718]

Thanks for the comment David! Attic dipoles can work surprisingly well providing the household noise levels don't swamp receive. Talking of 10m verticals - I remember in the 90's (before any understanding of RF) winding 8m of wire into a coil with a 2m 'whip' (making 10m total, this seemed logical!) and using a hamster cage (!) as a counterpoise - all within my student bedsit. I still can't understand or explain how this worked as well as it did. I could have perhaps enhanced it with some vinyl insulators but I'm not sure if The Cure or Siouxsie And The Banshees would have had the same RF properties as Bob Dylan :)

[@davidsaunders1125]

So the answer was Blowing in the Wind!

[@tommyboz8652]

poor old bob lol

[@Safenick]

Watched two years after OH3SPN published the video and glad to hear your antenna advice--you have a beautiful garden. 73 from KI7YWO in Tucson, AZ. Get on the air is best advice.

[@joebirdwell5071]

Thanks I will be putting up a horizontal dipole this week! You have a beautiful home and lot. I wish I was on a lake! WB9VVH in TN. USA

[@jeff-73]

Fantastic vid. You are really good at explaining the whole deal. thx

[@rrock3957]

very good rambling…makes good sense. i like your antennas. have relatives in the Ålands. 73

[@davidtheriault7652]

Thank for doing this video. The scientific aspect of the correct use of wire antennas, baluns, rf chokes, and height is an ongoing debate. 73 de KO4KHB

[@bigdaadio.K2WW]

I truly appreciate your effort, BUT... Height makes ALL the difference. Get that antenna as HIGH as possible, but ANY antenna in the air is 120 db better than one on the "shelf" not hooked up.hihi 73 K2WW

[@abhay109]

Thank you for explaination

[@joaquinnunez33]

Excellent. Thank you

[@shandybrandy5407]

Thanks for this great video. Have subscribed your channel 73 New Delhi

[@terryburge6763]

Hello. I setup and 80 mtr 4-square using off the shelf Comtek switching arrangement from DXE. I used sloping dipoles in the four dirrections (NE,SE, NW, SW). In the ARRL antenna books for many years has been the 40 meter 5 direction slopers to get the directions like NE,E,SE,SE,NW. But from your explanations of the difference of dipole, inverted V and sloper it appears that using horizontal dipoles would be better (if I can get the supports...lots of them). Is there no shifting of the pattern with slopers in the direction of the slope or not? For my specific case it seemed much easier to use the slopers and pull the lower halves in like inverted V's turned on their sides. That off my 120' tower. Terry

[@harleydavidsonroadking9648]

I have an Icom MN-100 multi band dipole antenna and i plan to make it as inverted V and put it up on a 18 meter mast with the angle around 90°-120° between both wires, the question is, is 18 meter high enough to make the antenna works efficiently ? I work mostly on 40m band. I use galvanised pole, will it compromise its performance ? Thanks - YG1BGK

[@wildlandoutdoors51]

So would you recommend a 1:1 balun at the feed point on all dipoles? I am planning on making some dipoles in the near future and have read you dont have to have them, but I would like to build the best anntennas I can. Keep up the good work and thanks in advance. KF0EEJ

[@oh3spnfinland718]

Yes, whilst you can operate without them, unless the dipole is erected in perfect space and perfectly balanced then the feedline will likely start radiating, causing RFI issues in the shack, increasing RX noise floor and altering your radiation pattern. These issues may not be significant or cause problems (depending on the degree of unbalance, power levels used etc) but I always recommend doing things properly if possible; it will likely save you further headaches at a later date.

[@wildlandoutdoors51]

@@oh3spnfinland718 appreciate the response Julian. Consider you one of my KZbin Elmers

[@oh3spnfinland718]

@@wildlandoutdoors51 You may be confusing me with Julian OH8STN - but that in itself is a compliment ;)

[@wildlandoutdoors51]

@@oh3spnfinland718 you are correct i did mistake you for Julian. You have a great channel too though

[@dienadel30]

Any antenna is better than no antenna.

[@tonym7cvk430]

Hi Steve was going to ask if you got to the bottom of the QRM ?

[@oh3spnfinland718]

I haven't - mostly due to the language problem. However, I do now have a great second antenna which I can switch to when needed :)

[@bak2bassix]

Thanks for the video and the off topic bits. It’s all good stuff for us newbies. M7MDO

[@npc9352]

If you can keep making videos, please do.