Topband: N6LF Article in March QST

[George, VK5IT]

Hi Topbanders,

"I'm amazed that there hasn't yet been any discussion of N6LF's article.  
His tests appear to demolish a lot of fondly-held beliefs (certainly 
including my own), and to point the way to a better topband signal in 
return for low cost and effort. ---- 73, Pete N4ZR".

I have read the articles by Rudy Severns with great interest but from my
hazy memory I do not remember if he brought in another dimension by testing
whether or not buried radials should be insulated or not. (I do not think he
did).

An article by Archibald C Doty, Jr presented to the Radio Club of America on
November 18, 1983 - concluded that:

"buried but insulated radial wires fulfil the theoretical requirements of
artificial ground systems better than do the buried but bare wires because
it is more efficient to collect currents from vertical antennas as
displacement currents rather than as conduction currents."

My question is ---- where we stand now with our current knowledge/thinking
as to the conclusion reached by Doty?

73

George, VK5IT

mailto:vk5it at bigpond.com