Topband: 160/80 Meter Vertical Performance Over Poor Soil Conductivity

[Earl W Cunningham]

Ron, W9MAF wrote:

"If I install a full-size 1/4 wave 80 meter vertical and also use it for
a 160 meter inverted-L, with 120 radials each 40 meters long to solve the
near field ground loss problem, will this antenna be a useful DX antenna
on both of these bands with very poor soil or will it be nothing more
than an "air-cooled dummy load" as one person suggested. "
==========
Certainly it will be a good DX antenna!  With that excellent ground
radial system, its radiation efficiency will be close to 100%.  With your
poor far field soil conductivity the takeoff angle of maximum radiation
will be a bit higher than if the soil conductivity was better, but don't
sweat it!

73, de Earl, K6SE