[TenTec] If you ground it - it will come!

[Martin, AA6E]

On 5/6/06, Randy Russe3ll <lord_russell53 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> ... I guess when you have a 1 ft. wide sheet
> of copper for RF useage, it has the same useable
> conducting area as if you rolled that one foot
> circumference into about 4" inches wide.  So it is
> effectively the same RF conductor as a 4" dia. piece
> of copper wire, yes? with lower inductance? Since RF
> only utilizes the surface of a wire conductor.


Yes, a 4" tube of copper flashing is the same at RF as a 4" solid  rod,
because of  skin effect. But a 12" flat strap is probably twice as good
(half the impedance), because current flows on both sides.  No RF current
flows on the inside of the tube.

On the other hand, a 4" bar is a lot less likely to explode or blow away!

73 Martin AA6E

--
martin.ewing at gmail.com - AA6E at arrl.net
President, Yale University Amateur Radio Club - W1YU
http://blog.aa6e.net