New Antenna

[VE3FMC]

I'm not a big fan of multi-band HF verticals but when someone offered me an almost-new Cushcraft R-8 for $99 I couldn't pass it up. Seems to get pretty decent reviews and I'll be interested to see if it's an improvement over my too-low 40m dipole.

Well the price was sure as hell right! I say you say you have a too low 40 meter dipole. What is too low?

If properly installed the R-8 may give you an advantage when it comes to DX on 40 meters. Again it depends on how low that dipole is.

My 40 meter dipole is only up about 29 feet at the apex and I do ok with it. Sure not as good as I would if it was at 60 feet. But I can work DX on it and it works well for rag chewing within a 500 mile radius of my location.

As K7SGJ noted the noise level may be higher on the vertical. A lot of your local QRN will be more noticeable on the vertical.

[NQ6U]

Well the price was sure as hell right! I say you say you have a too low 40 meter dipole. What is too low?

It's a flat top at 32 feet, about half the height it ought to be. Don't get me wrong, it does get out, just not as well as I'd like it to. I've worked most of the world, although largely on digital. On phone, I've not done so well.

If properly installed the R-8 may give you an advantage when it comes to DX on 40 meters. Again it depends on how low that dipole is.

On 40m, the takeoff angle from a vertical should be a lower than a half-wave dipole at 32'. At least, that's what I'm hoping for.

As K7SGJ noted the noise level may be higher on the vertical. A lot of your local QRN will be more noticeable on the vertical.

Yes, and I live in an RF-noisy area, which is one of the reasons I'm not a big fan of HF verticals.