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Re: [TowerTalk] Cage dipole revisited.

To: Towertalk <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Cage dipole revisited.
From: Michael Keane K1MK <k1mk@alum.mit.edu>
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2009 09:35:07 -0400
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
On 4/11/2009 12:52 AM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:

> Since the cage dipole is shorter than a normal
> half wave dipole (L/D ratio), the only way it can show gain
> is through an increased current.

Increasing the current while maintaining the distribution of current 
along the antenna does not produce "gain" provided that the applied 
power is held constant.

Directive gain can be realized only if the distribution of current along 
the antenna is altered in some way. Changing the current distribution 
changes the far-field pattern and the directivity.

Of course, this doesn't happen to any significant degree in the case of 
a cage dipole .

While the current distribution along a dipole does vary slightly with 
(l/d), the resulting changes in gain are in the realm of 0.001's of a dB 
and of no practical interest.

> All of this is basic electromagnetics and is discussed
> fully by Kraus and others in the standard antenna texts.

Absolutely.

Those texts also contain mathematically rigorous solutions for the 
integral equations which describe a dipole constructed of finite 
diameter cylinders. No modelling, no NEC, no "time diversity" 
doublespeak; just James Clerk Maxwell plus a bit of the calculus.

Would anyone find it even remotely plausible that the gain of a dipole 
were to decrease by 6 dB if a solid cylinder were to be substituted for 
a wire approximation to that cylinder?

The standard applied to those who would rewrite the laws of physics is 
that "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."

There's nothing particularly extraordinary about the evidence that's 
been offered in this case; if anything the evidence in quite pedestrian.

'Nuff said.

73,
Mike K1MK



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