[Elecraft] HF Verticals?

[Stuart Rohre]

One should never be too quick to say absolutes about radio propagation and
types of launching systems for the waves.

The pioneering work now being done by Dr. Robert L. Rogers on the FLEX
antenna, which does use resonant elements, but confined to much smaller
volume than their total length, has shown much promise for efficient tho
small antennas.

The type of Earth under an antenna can have many interactive effects.
Better ground may require more radials to avoid having currents lost to
earth, than those radials lying on poor ground.

There seems to be evidence that half wave antennas should operate virtually
independent of earth, but field strength measurements are also needed to see
if adding radials under them does anything.  The complication is defining
the earth under the antenna adequately, as most practical installations are
over non homogeneous earth conditions.  Near field objects in the practical
ham installation may greatly affect and alter what otherwise would be
optimum ways of using radials, ground reflectors, etc.

My own grounding tests in tropical Malaysia, and desert West Texas
undoubtedly are different from those in Northern U. S.  The literature on
the use of quads in overseas locations often reports excellent results at
low heights, while there has been less favorable reports on quad vs. Yagi
tests on towers in U.S.  About all we can say absolutely is there is no one
antenna "best" for all locations and conditions.  Rarely have hams
considered they should match their antenna choice to local earth under the
proposed antenna, but my own experiments show I should have considered that
earth, and characterized it before picking some antennas I have used.
72,
Stuart K5KVH