Topband: Using wires from large trees as verticals?

[EP Swynar]

On 14th November, Herb wrote...

"... If anyone is concerned about any losses from the tree itself, (IMHO
depending on type of tree and time of the year) why not hang a 3 or 4 wire
cage around the tree and feed it..."

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The on-going debate over the years about the "dangers" of hanging vertical
antennas alongside tree trunks --- for fear of losses in the tree --- makes
me smile to myself inside...

Here we are, fretting about one of Ma Nature's gifts to Hamdom eating our RF
alive, when we don't even think twice about the potential fall-out from our
stringing up an inverted "L" antenna running straight up alongside a
grounded, steel tower!

Unless I've missed something, a "lossy" tree (or nearby house, overhead
wires, etc.) will, indeed, "dissipate" some of the RF in its
field...however, would a perfectly conducting metal tower not, in turn, even
more quickly and efficiently divert the RF in its vicinity directly into the
ground upon which it is standing...?!

I guess I'm a dunce for not seeing the difference 'twixt the two...however,
having said that, if I had my "druthers", I'd MUCH rather run the vertical
portion of my inverted "L" up some handy fir tree, rather than mere inches
parallel to my Delhi self-supporting sky-hook...

~73~ Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ