[Antennas] Diminishing Returns - New Question

[Tom Horton]

David,
 Like many of us old timers (I guess I am an oldtimer now... 50+ years) when we were 
novices, so much antenna theory had not been found, invented, espoused, taught, learned etc...so we just threw something up and many times for the most part it kinda sorta worked. Of course, sometimes it didn't.
 I was lucky enough to get on the air during one of if not the best sunspot cycles ever.
You could work anywhere with almost anything.
 So now we know that about SWR, tuned, untuned radials, effective height, radiated power, and so forth. Antennas are much more difficult. Hi!
 But it's all good!
 We still have the best hobby ion the world!
 Tom K5IID
 

--- On Sat, 6/13/09, David C. Hallam <dhallam at rapidsys.com> wrote:


From: David C. Hallam <dhallam at rapidsys.com>
Subject: Re: [Antennas] Diminishing Returns - New Question
To: "Merv Stump" <mstump at hvc.rr.com>
Cc: "'Antennas'" <Antennas at mailman.qth.net>
Date: Saturday, June 13, 2009, 12:13 PM


These are not to be tuned radials.  They will be ground mounted in the 
grass.  The antenna is a Butternut HV6V vertical.  To simplify matters, 
I will cut all the radials to 40 ft. which seems to be the about the 
minimum length recommended for the lowest operating frequency, 80M.

Why are verticals such a PITA?  I have dealt with yagis, quads, assorted 
long wires, and Windoms with never this much trouble.

Years ago when I was a novice I used a Mosley RV-4.  Ground mounted, no 
radials, no nothing and never had a problem with it.  I could work 
anyone I could hear.  I put the 80M loading coil on it, but worked 
little 80M.

David
KC2JD/4

Merv Stump wrote:
> Definitely do not strip the wire.  The insulation will have no affect on
> performance; will be much easier to work with and will last longer.
> 
> However, if you are planning to cut the radials to resonance keep in mind
> that insulated wire will be a little electrically long (probably somewhere
> between 1 and 3 percent).  So you will have to cut them a little shorter
> than you might have thought.
> 
> Regards, Merv W2OE
> 
> 
> 
> 

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