Omnidirectional Short Skip Antennas for Local Contacts
While vertical antennas are excellent for long-distance DX, they often fall short when it comes to local contacts and short skip within 200 to 800 kilometers. For those scenarios, antennas that radiate at higher angles are far more effective. Enter the world of omnidirectional short skip antennas: V dipoles and inverted Vs.
10–20 Meter Band: The Solid V Dipole at 120°
For the higher HF bands such as 10m, 12m, 15m, 17m, and 20m, the solid V dipole with a 120° angle is an excellent choice for local communication.
At these frequencies, a full-size dipole (typically 5–10 meters per leg depending on the band) mounted at 2.5 to 4 meters high will produce a strong high-angle radiation pattern. This is exactly what is needed for short skip and regional communication.
The V-shape lowers the impedance closer to 50 ohms, making matching to a typical transceiver easy. It also provides a more omnidirectional pattern than a flat horizontal dipole, which tends to have deep side nulls.
The combination of low height and V shape ensures a broad, high-angle lobe that covers local and nearby regions effectively, even with low power.
30–160 Meter Band: The Inverted V for NVIS
For the lower HF bands like 30m, 40m, 60m, 80m, and 160m, the inverted V is the gold standard for NVIS (Near Vertical Incidence Skywave) communication. This method relies on high-angle radiation that reflects almost straight up and comes back down within a few hundred kilometers.
By mounting the center of the inverted V at around 8–10 meters with legs sloping down to about 2–3 meters, a near-vertical radiation pattern is achieved. The result is outstanding coverage in the local and regional area, especially in hilly or forested terrain where groundwave signals struggle.
The inverted V design also simplifies support structure requirements, since only one high support point is needed for the feedpoint, and the legs can be tied off to lower points. This makes it a practical, high-performance choice for local HF work.
Why These Antennas Work for Short Skip
Short skip and NVIS require high-angle radiation. Vertical antennas and low-angle radiators mostly shoot energy along the horizon, which skips over the regional zone. Dipole configurations at modest height—especially when angled in a V shape—put that energy into the sky at steep angles, allowing for reliable communication within 100 to 800 km.
Whether you're running a net, keeping in touch with nearby stations, or operating portable, these omnidirectional high-angle antennas are the right tools for the job.
- Use a 120° V dipole at 3–4 meters height for 10–20m short skip.
- Use an inverted V with center at 8–10 meters for 30–160m NVIS.
Local communication is just as important as DX—make sure your antenna is built for the job.
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Written by Joeri Van Dooren, ON6URE – RF, electronics and software engineer, complex platform and antenna designer. Founder of RF.Guru. An expert in active and passive antennas, high-power RF transformers, and custom RF solutions, he has also engineered telecom and broadcast hardware, including set-top boxes, transcoders, and E1/T1 switchboards. His expertise spans high-power RF, embedded systems, digital signal processing, and complex software platforms, driving innovation in both amateur and professional communications industries.