Tactical high frequency array antennas

A vertically polarized array comprised of both bottom fed and top fed configurations having a driven element comprising at least one but, when desirable, two generally horizontal wire conductor segments of a length substantially equal to one half the operating wavelength of the array and with the ends of the half-wave conductor segments being connected to or extending into generally vertical quarter wavelength wire conductor segments. In a bottom fed configuration the feedpoint is at the bottom end of one vertical quarter wavelength conductor segment while in a top fed configuration one vertical quarter wavelength segment comprises a quarter wavelength of coaxial transmission line having one end configured into signal isolation means, comprising a cable choke, while the feedpoint is located at the other end. Behind the array, located at a distance of substantially a quarter wavelength, is a parasitic reflector element comprising a substantially identical structure as the driven element with the lower ends of the vertical quarter wavelength elements thereof positioned a foot or two above the surface of the ground. Such an arrangement provides unidirectional radiation and reception at low take-off angles, e.g., 20 deg above the horizon.