[Lowfer] Photo of XR Top Hat, and comments

[John Bruce McCreath]

Hi again Andy,

You've been reading a lot lately!  The information about structures above the top hat, especially as they apply to HF mobile
antennas is quite true.  Don Johnson, W6AAQ, the inventor of the famous "Screwdriver" antenna proved that to be a fact in
his book about HF mobile antennas.

I think that the difference in your case would be that the addition of wires from the four corners of the top hat up to the top of
the insulated vertical rod would become part of the top hat.  That is, they wouldn't been seen as a single vertical element
above the hat, but rather a part of it, since they originate at the four corners and converge to a single point slightly above.

I have to agree with Alan Melia's comments about the downward wires coming from the top actually reducing some of
the height of the main vertical mast/wire.  If you decide to try my suggestion, don't replace the insulated extension but
only the insulated cord.  You could probably use the currently downward wires to create the top hat "growth" in area.

73, J.B., VE3EAR

LowFER Beacon "EAR"
188.830 kHz. QRSS30
EN93dr