[Elecraft] Connecting a long wire antenna to the K2 with the KAT2 tuner

[Jim Brown]

On 7/27/2018 11:17 AM, Curt Nixon wrote:
> What am I missing Don?

The principles of how antennas work. RF current flows on BOTH the center 
conductor and shell of that BNC connector. It's a simple series circuit. 
The wire you CALL the antenna provides only half of that circuit -- a 
counterpoise, the other half of the antenna, provides a return path. We 
could, of course, connect it to a ground rod, but that causes the earth, 
which is a (very) big resistor, to be the return path, so it can burn 
(much) of the TX power. Far better to use a length of copper wire (a 
quarter wave is ideal) to carry that return current.

A connection to mother earth is an important part of lightning 
protection. It does NOT improve the operation of transmitting antennas. 
It IS important for many receiving antennas.

73, Jim K9YC