Topband: 1/4 versus 1/2 wave vert.

[df2py@t-online.de]

Hi reflectees !
Although i dont have the technical background that Tom has, i want to contribute a few findings from the experience of antenna building on other lower frequency antennas.
I conducted tests on 30m and 40m verticals by comparing quarter and halfwave radiators on the air.
In short words : the quarter wavers always were the winners !
I matched the ground mounted antennas with a parallel resonant circuit, like Tom described. Very easy thing to do.
I could first not understand why the halfwave design was clearly edged by the quarter wave design. But i found, that commercial installations never ever have high impedance fed antennas close to the ground. That is not for safety reasons, it must clearly be, because a strong electric field introduces strong losses in nearby soil, which would be particularly true for ground mounted antennas.
What say Tom ? Give us folks from "rookie town" a good lesson,hi.       de wolf  df2py