Topband: Let's try stuff

[Tom Rauch]

Hi Steve,

> consider Tom). The article doesn't actually say a couple of radials
> with a loading coil (i.e. a tuned counterpoise) is better than a
> full-sized ground screen, but that you can get much better performance
> with it than with the randomised radial systems we sometimes use on
> the low-bands - and with much less effort.

The article actually states when radials are shortened and a 
loading coil is added, current in the radials is more evenly 
distributed and efficiency improves over (larger) systems with 
resonant radials. I've seen several articles repeating that claim, all 
referring to an original article in Communications Quarterly. Yet no 
one, from the original author onwards, ever measured field strength.

In another section of that same magazine, another author claims a  
insulated pipe bored 1/4wl deep into the earth allows him to have a 
lossless "vertical dipole", with the wire going vertically down into 
the earth being the other leg of his dipole. Some people will 
actually would believe that, since they saw it in print, and will quote 
that in future articles.

With that in mind, I agree with you Steve. We should try stuff. 
Hopefully we will do that in some logical scientific manner (it does 
not need to be a complicated test) before we publish a project or 
offer a theory or explanation!
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com