Some of the responses remind me of stories of folks who back when the automobile was first emerging as the horseless carriage vowed they'd never do it, and they'd never catch on, after all, they looked odd.
Of the several vertical antennas mentioned in this thread so far, Maco 5/8, I10k, AP, Gainmaster, and V4k, I've had the opportunity to own build and/or use four of those types. Only the GM awaits my experimentation. I've not had an I10k, but it is a 5/8 GP. I favor both the Vector 4k, and the AP. Despite being odd looking by some arbitrary standard, nothing I've flown out performs the V4k or the AP. Personally, I think an honest appraisal of any GP antenna will result in a conclusion that they are all odd looking. Ask any wife. Both the AP and the V4k are the easiest antennas to mount, with smaller lateral footprints than large groundplane antennas. The Gainmaster apparently is too. However, the power handling capabilities of the others provide a dubious advantage over the GM for those who run such power.
As a homebrewer, the V4k and the AP are among the easiest to make. Mechanically, they are simpler, providing less challenge to make. In terms of performance, peerless in the 5/8 and 1/2 wave classes in my opinion/experience. Whether the V4k is more than a 5/8 based on it's over all length is a matter of debate peculiar to this antenna type alone. Maybe it's more . . . and owes that fact to its superior performance as much as results of it design. What matters to me is it has shown itself to be a great antenna, easy to build, and easier than any other vertical I've had to mount in a limited space with its maximum width only 2.5'
Would I buy one. Nope, too easy to make.
Would I recommend someone buy one? In a heartbeat.
