Most simple horizontally polarized antennas do not exhibit significant directivity unless they are:

For a horizontally polarized antenna to develop a well-defined, directional radiation pattern, it must be mounted sufficiently high above the ground. Below a certain height, ground reflections distort the pattern and cause the antenna to radiate energy almost straight up, turning it into a Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) antenna. At a height of one-half wavelength or more, the ground reflection geometry aligns constructively at lower angles. This allows the antenna to exhibit significant broadside directivity and form the desired lower takeoff angles needed for DX communication. At lower heights, like a quarter wavelength, most of the radiation is directed at very high angles, severely reducing horizontal directivity and range.