Topband: "Linear Loading" & 160-Meters

[Edward Swynar]

Good Day All,

I've seen references in ON4UN's book regarding the use of "linear loading"
to compensate for short physical vertical antenna heights...and I recall
reading somewhere once where Bill Orr (W6SAI) claimed that a 1/4-wave
inverted "L" may be bent by as much as 2/3 of its "natural" length before
there's any really significant negative impact upon the antenna's ability to
effectively radiate a good low-angled signal...

Combining these two notions together, has anyone reading this ever tried a
linear loaded Bobtail array for 160, or even a linear loaded  2-element half
square, for the band...?

With the Bobtail, I'm thinking here of having, say, a vertical height of
some 60', with the remaining "balance" of each vertical leg (70', or so)
being made-up of back-and-forth parallel wires, physically elevated above
real earth by posts some 3' - 4', or so, in height.

Naturally, I wouldn't try this until the weather breaks here in southern
Ontario!

One advantage with a Bobtail, surely, would be THREE vertical elements---but
at the cost of just ONE radial field! But would linear loading steal away
these benefits through inefficiency...?

Hmmm...! Food for thought. I, for one, have NEVER seen any reference
anywhere, in any publication, along this line...have you?

~73!~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ