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

[KZurawski@aol.com]

OK, my intrigue level has spiked. Need to jump in here. When comparing a  
half wave vertical over lossy ground to a quarter wave vertical over lossy  
ground, which needs a more low loss, radially larger ground system? With the  
quarter wave's ground node close to the feed point, ground current peaks closer  to 
the antenna feed. With a half waves current node up half way up the antenna,  
I believe ground currents peak farther out from the antenna feed point. All  
these ground currents need to flow back to the antenna feed point. The half 
wave  currents have to flow further back to the feed than the quarter waves 
currents.  Therefore the half wave ground currents flow through more lossy ground 
R,  therefore more I2R losses. Can one then conclude that the half wave ground 
plane  requirements are more severe, requiring a larger lower loss ground 
system,  compared to the half waves ground system. I've seen some contradictive  
statements made about this. I've always wondered about this. I'm getting to  
launch a kite deployed vertical for 160, and can't decide to use a quarterwave  
or half wave hunk of vertical wire. Someone set me straight.
Thanks
Ken Zurawski
WB9QDL
Louisville, CO