Topband: Twin Lead Marconi Antenna

[Jim Brown]

On Sat, 13 Jun 2009 22:10:08 -0400 (EDT), k8gg at voyager.net wrote:

>The problem with a 180 foot long inverted-L antenna is that over 
>half of the wire is horizontal so the majority of the radiation 
>is nearly vertical.  

I disagree. Radiation is the result of CURRENT. Your analysis 
assumes that current is evenly distributed along the wire. It is 
not!  The high current parts of the antenna are still vertical.  
The additional length simply varies the impedance of the antenna 
at the feedpoint. Yes, there will be some radiation from the 
horizontal part, and the greater length will vary the vertical 
pattern. And, as Herb has observed, the greater length will 
increase radiation resistance, which in turn reduces ground 
losses.  

73,

Jim Brown K9YC