Improving performance over an EFHW

For 20m band DX performance I often use HalfSquare made out of EFHW4010 (66ft wire). After tuning my EFHW I folded it in half and again and marker outer 1/4 lengths. I use two 6mtr fishing rods (300g each) set them 10mtr apart and then run wire from antenna from the bottom of first mast where 49:1 is to the first 1/4 marker then ~10mtr horizontal to second mast where second 1/4 runs from the top to the bottom. In reality bottom of each 1/4 is about 8-10inch (25-30cm) above ground.

This antenna is a killer broadside but has deep nulls to at vertical ends, so you need to be mind full when you set it up. Id has very good gain at low take off angle for 20m band but it still works on 40 NVIS and 15/10 with 4 lobes. If you thing this could be ok for you watch Tim G5TM YouTube channel https://youtu.be/cKbde0oRYxE?si=Hb6mTQ92DooOdfUC Timhas number of very good films about some verticals if you would like to go that way.

As for VOACAP I only use it once or twice a year to see how seasons might affect optimal setup for DX. Before major event like Trans-Atlantic S2S I will check it too especially considering current solar weather.

GL

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