Greyline Performance Advantage: Gain and Efficiency Comparison (160M-6M)

The Signal Lab

Which Height Is Right for Me?

All Greyline antennas — 12 through 28 feet — cover 160 meters through 6 meters. Every model. No exceptions. What changes with height is gain efficiency and radiation angle on each band, not coverage. This guide shows you the difference so you can choose with confidence.

The longer the antenna, the more gain and lower the radiation angle on the low bands — up to the 5/8λ sweet spot for each height. Beyond that point the pattern begins to rise (angle). Our height menu is specifically chosen to keep the popular HF bands in the right part of that curve.

Performance by Height

Radiation Pattern Comparison

The plots below show modeled radiation patterns for the core VDA heights. Pay close attention to the takeoff angle — lower angle means more signal toward the horizon, which is what matters for DX. With more height (to the 5/8λ point), gain increases as the signal focuses more toward the horizon.

Important: This chart shows gain and angle efficiency — not coverage.

All Greyline antennas cover 160–6M. What you're seeing in these plots is how efficiently each height performs on each band — the depth of signal penetration toward the horizon and the radiation angle. Every model is a real multiband antenna.

EZNEC radiation pattern comparison for Greyline VDA antennas: 12ft, 16ft, 20ft, and 28ft models on 80M, 40M, 20M, and 15M

Upper left: 20' VDA · Upper right: 28' VDA
Lower left: 16' VDA · Lower right: 12' VDA

How to Read These Plots

Compare the 28' and the 12' (right column). On the 28', the signal lobe on 15M (orange) sits lower and reaches deeper toward the horizon. On the 12', the lobe is higher but 80M still radiates effectively — that's the nature of a shorter antenna working a longer wavelength.

The differences between adjacent heights are incremental, not dramatic. Most operators moving from a 20' to a 24' will see modest improvement, especially on the lower bands. That said, real-world operators have reported meaningful differences — the extra aperture helps the ATU match on 80 and 160 meters and that practical improvement compounds over time on the air.

At a Glance

Model Comparison

Model 5/8λ Sweet Spot Wind Rating Best For
12 ft 6M (bare) — 10M with whip 155 MPH flag-down Extreme HOA height limits, tight lots, high-wind regions, mobile home parks, POTA.
16 ft Near 1/2λ on 10M 115 MPH flag-down HOA lots, coastal areas, front entry installations, compact suburban lots.
20 ft — Most Popular 5/8λ on 10M 90 MPH flag-down The sweet spot for most operators — full residential flagpole scale, strong performance on 20M and above, solid 40 and 80M.
24 ft 5/8λ on 12M 70 MPH flag-down Operators wanting a low-band edge — enhanced 30, 40, and 60M performance without a huge footprint.
28 ft — Flagship 5/8λ on 15M 55 MPH flag-down Maximum aperture. Real gain from 10 through 30 meters. The choice when height clearance allows it.

Bonus: The 9' DX Whip

Add the 9' whip to any model for additional aperture and gain. The effect is real and measurable — up to +3.5 dBi at the new 5/8λ sweet spot for the combined height. Two standout configurations:

• 20ft + whip = 29ft — achieves 5/8λ on 15M, matching the 28ft bare antenna
• 24ft + whip = 33ft — achieves 5/8λ on 17M with 1/2λ on 20M simultaneously. 1/4λ on 40M!
• 28ft + whip = 37ft — free-standing DX vertical. Low-band improvement, pattern rises on high bands.

The Bottom Line

Performance at Every Height

Every Greyline antenna from 12 to 28 feet radiates on 160 through 6 meters. The lower bands favor longer antennas — the higher bands favor shorter ones relative to 5/8λ. Our curated height menu keeps the popular HF bands in the right part of the gain curve while maintaining a low-angle 10M DX pattern across the lineup.

The rule is simple: choose the longest antenna your lot and HOA allow, and be confident in your selection. Whether you need maximum stealth or maximum aperture, every model in the lineup is built on the same efficient VDA core — the physics work at every height.

Ham Radio is fun again! Pass it on... 73, The Greyline Performance Team