[Antennas] HOW GAIN WORKS

[AA6DX]

Hey -- just sharing.....let's look ..  an RF antenna can be seen this way
... a simple FLASHLIGHT, it's dark out  ..      connect the flashlight bulb
to the voltage source, hold it up, bare ... hmmmm .. a  6V bulb can be seen
about 2-3 blocks, depending on "stuff" ..
  OK .. now we put the normal FLASHLIGHT  pointing at the receiving station
... with the killer-diller chrome reflector in place... VOILA!   We get 1000
feet, plus! -- -viewing possibility.
The antenna, of which we speak, gets gain from the same situation.   Merv
has it right!  AND .  the antenna gets it gain from robbing from another
direction ...... just like the example..      A  directional flashlight can
be seen for meters, to the front .. and .. TO THE REAR.. just about NIL.
How I taught the main idea of a directional antenna for years .. .. YAGI,
Quad, and all the rest of the gain aerials.  Of course, like usual, Merv and
I will get whuppins .. like .. "Golly, you guys are stupid!'
Mark ..     AA6DX
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Merv Stump" <mstump@hvc.rr.com>
To: "'Demetre Koumanakos'" <demetre@fastmail.ca>; <antennas@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2004 3:38 PM
Subject: RE: [Antennas] WiFi Antenna


> Demetre, any antenna which has gain is by definition directional.  There
> is no way to get gain except to take from one part of an antenna pattern
> and move it to another.  Think of the basic antenna pattern as a
> perfectly round balloon.  If you squeeze the balloon you reduce it's
> size at the point you are squeezing and cause it to extend further than
> it was in some other direction.  This extension is gain - there is no
> free lunch.  It came from somewhere.
>
>
> Merv, W2OE