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Re: Topband: Optimum number of radials for given wire length

To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: Optimum number of radials for given wire length
From: Garry Shapiro <garry@ni6t.com>
Reply-to: garry@ni6t.com
Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 21:29:25 -0700
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>

On 8/13/2010 9:29 AM, Richard (Eagle-Eye) Karlquist wrote:
>> I have the ARRL's ANTENNA BOOK 20th Edition, and on Chapter 3 (The
>> Effects of the Earth), p.3-10 is Table 1 tht maybe contains all you want
>> about that.
>> If you haven't the book here is the table:
>>
>> Number of radials                   16    24     36    60    90    120
>>
>> Length of each radial in           0.10  0.125  0.15  0.20  0.25   0.40
>> wavelengths
>>
>> Spacing of radials in degrees      22.5   15     10     6     4     3
>>
>> Total length of radial wire        1.6     3     5.4    12   22.5   48
>> installed in wavelengths
>>
>> Power loss in dB at low angles      3      2     1.5    1    0.5    0*
>>
>> with a L/4 radiating element
>>
>> Feed-point impedance in ohms       52     46      43    40    37    35
>> with a L/4 radiating element
>>
>> * compared to a perfectly conducting ground
>>
>> 73 Panos SV1GRD
>>
> The dB loss numbers vs feed point impedance don't make sense to me.
> To get 3 dB loss, the feed point impedance should be 70 ohms, not
> 52 ohms.  The dB numbers seem to be off by a factor of 2, IMHO,
> like they used 20 LOG instead of 10 LOG.
>
> Also, if your antenna is less than 1/4 wavelength, then of course
> the dB loss entries will be considerably different, etc.
>
> Rick N6RK

And he is right, iff "power loss in dB at low angles" correlates 1:1 
with ground losses. In that case the 16 ohms of equivalent loss 
dissipate 31% of the power, or -1.6 dB, not -3dB. But perhaps "power 
loss in dB at low angles"  was calculated by integrating the radiation 
pattern and reflects both ohmic ground loss and the change in 
pseudo-Brewster angle. How low is "low" is not specified.

Garry, NI6T


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