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Re: [TowerTalk] Gain Is a Function of Boom Length - True and NotTrue

To: Jim Lux <jimlux@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Gain Is a Function of Boom Length - True and NotTrue
From: "Jim White, K4OJ" <k4oj@tampabay.rr.com>
Reply-to: k4oj@tampabay.rr.com
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2003 21:22:01 -0400
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
My homebrew designs all center around W2PV's theorem that the boom should be an odd multiple of 1/4 wavelength to achieve max gain... they tend to be big antennas but they seem to work pretty good :-)

K4OJ



Jim Lux wrote:
At 05:10 PM 9/10/2003 -0400, Bryan Rambo wrote:

I believe N0AX's statement to be true. Thanks Ward!

A corollary:
No amount of clever engineering in areas of element interaction, feed
efficiency, tuning networks (i.e. - traps), impedance matching gadgetry,
etc. can make up for a short boom.

True?


Not precisely...
There are some fundamental limits on a combination of gain and bandwidth (the classic reference is "Chu and Harrington"). You can theoretically make a small, high directivity, but very narrow band and very inefficient antenna. However, you can't get around the radiation resistance problem, which makes losses a problem. Compact loops typify the problem.


And, using practical materials and practical construction, losses are an issue.

Also, to a certain extent, smaller means less effective aperture (think capture area), until you get to around 1/2 wavelength, where the antenna can be physically smaller, but still has an effective aperture of about 1/2 lambda.

73 - Bryan W4WMT

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_______________________________________________


See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

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