I'm with John.
Speaking from a lot of experience with my HF6, it is not bad for long-haul MARS (over 500 miles) but a lousy antenna for in-state coverage, which most MARS communications is. Dipoles are much better for routine MARS use.
I know lots of folks don't like them, but I use a B&W Terminated Folded Dipole for 90 percent of my MARS communications. It is mounted with the center at 18 feet and the ends at 15 feet. I routinely cover all of New England, West into Ohio and Pennsylvania, South into Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.
It's only when I am working into states in the deep south that I switch to the Butternut.
Lon - NNN0OOR / NNN0AS1 THREE (Former MDE SMD, Deputy SMD, Assistant For Net Operations)
Southern New England Navy-Marine Corps MARS
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