This subject has been discussed here plenty of times in the past, and the
consensus has always been that trees and other foliage near a 160m antenna
has a negligible effect on the transmitted signal. That's what I have
believed for some time.
This was discussed last month at
http://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php?topic=90638.0 . This article by
Carl Luetzelschwab K9LA appeared in the March/April 2006 NCJ titled "Low
Band Antennas and Trees". LINK:
http://k9la.us/Low_Band_Antennas_and_Trees.pdf .
Look at the chart and discussion there. It flies in the face of previous
observations by a lot of intelligent Topbanders.
I'm not at all saying that I agree with this. But it certainly does seem
that after the leaves came out and the weeds grew around my 160m
inverted-L, my signal on the Reverse Beacon Network is nowhere near what is
was in the early spring. I doubt that it has anything to do with the tall
weeds under my elevated radials or the oak leaves near the inverted-L.
But never mind all that; what do you gentlemen think about this article? I
don't know what to think.
73, Mike
www.w0btu.com
_________________
Topband Reflector
|