Some team members remained skeptical, as verticals on salt water performance is something that needs to be experienced to comprehend. The Kingman Reef DXpedition was an excellent opportunity for others to share the experience. Add to that the difference in gain at the low angles. Having a single lobe with energy down to 1 is the key to DX performance. Taking people and equipment to a remote, uninhabited location is a serious proposition.
Safety is the top priority.
To underwrite safety while providing the highest performance, the antennas needed to be lightweight, plus being quick to erect and take down. Keeping them simple was paramount. The reef is only 25' across and 40' at the widest part, so radials were an issue, as well as how to guy anything on the coral and shell rubble. On the reef, the time required to take down, clean and pack all antennas was only a portion of the four hours for the entire set-up. Most amateurs are familiar with phased verticals, such as the popular 4-square.