[Lowfer] re beverage

[Alan Melia]

Hi JB I am afraid by my understanding you do NOT get a "bidirectional
beverage" by leaving it unterminated. A beverage is a travelling wave antena
and needs a termination, and you only get a bidirectional antenna by
switching the temination to the other physical end. If you dont terminate it
you do not get any of the "beverage effect" and it becomes a plain old
"longish wire" with and indeterminate impedance depending on the frequency.
It may be bi-directional, but probably owes more actually to Marconi who
rolled out antennas for VLF along the ground in the direction of the
transmitting station. The beverage NEEDS a poor ground to operate as the
signal builds up due to the velocity factor of the ground-wire "transmission
line". The height is quite important too.

Because the impedance of the proper transmission line sytem is high, the
resistance of the ground connection should not matter. (see QST
article/reprint of around 2000 ) If because it is unterminated you have a
lower impedance then the connection of a "better" (lower resistance) ground
will enhance the signals. I am not sure what the effect of frozen ground
will make to a beverage but I have a feeling it will not make it better. The
only problem I could see with using a fence is that there are probably other
unconnected wires at difference heights (??) and with different lengths and
connections (leakage) to ground which will be coupled to your wire. Any bit
of wire works (!!) and experimentation can adapt it for your circumstances.

Cheers and HNY de Alan G3NYK