Topband: Need advice

[David Gilbert]

EP Swynar wrote:
> On 6th January Juhan wrote...
>
> One thing that I've always found contradictory in such discussions is the
> fact that it seems to be "...tribal knowledge" amongst Beverage aficianados
> that the WORSE the ground beneath it, the BETTER the performance of the
> antenna...
>
> ...And yet, Vic Misek in his book on Beverage antennas specifically espouses
> the use of a second parallel-running wire immediately below the antenna, per
> se, and laid atop the ground.
>
> What purpose would the inclusion of such a ground wire have, in fact, if not
> to minimize the effect upon antenna performance by "...real ground"...?
>
> ~73~ Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
>   

I think perhaps you have it reversed .... i.e., that which is unfounded 
"tribal knowledge" and that which isn't.  Every beverage text I've seen 
with actual math behind it says they work better with poor ground.   Try 
modeling a beverage over high conductivity ground, or with a wire laying 
on the ground under it, and see whether you think that wire is a wise 
idea.  The higher the conductivity, the higher the main lobe.

Dave   AB7E
.