Topband: Vertical radiator + FCP as a dipole

[Guy Olinger K2AV]

The "FCP" only refers to the folded part, it's not a complete antenna.
 The pattern depends on what you do with the wire attached to the FCP.
 If it's an L instead of a straight dipole, you will get more high
angle radiation.

FCP is terrible on the ground.  Though lower heights will work with
increasing loss, 8 feet and up is recommended. I know a few who
mounted it on the back yard wooden fence which kept it at six feet up.
The fence in the rain had a dielectric effect.  But it was something
that he could actually get away with, so he didn't care. The back
fence was 70 feet long across the back. The guy's lot was 75 x 115.

Calling it a dipole with one end woven horizontal is apt. The folds in
the "weave" are designed to minimize radiation from the weave, and so
force all the radiation from the other end so far as is possible, and
cancel fields as much as possible underneath to keep induced current
in the dirt from the folded end as low as possible. An inverted L over
an FCP is a vertical dipole with one end folded, and the other with a
90 degree bend in it.

For those of you in some of the prior discussions, tell me if the
folded end of the dipole is a counterpoise by your definition. If not,
what do you call it.

What exactly makes it a counterpoise instead of just a folded end to a dipole.

73, Guy

On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 12:37 PM, Jim WA9YSD <wa9ysd at yahoo.com> wrote:
> With all due respect:
>
> The FCP is a dipole. One end is vertical while the other is weaved horizontal on or near the ground.
>
> The 1:1 isolation Trasformer / Balun serves its purpose as well as stopping those nasty common mode
> conditions.
>
> The FP and CY9 came on and I was not able to work them single hop conditions just did not favor me. I heard
> CY9 on and off but QSB just hindered me. If any one worked them with the same distance as I but with the
> FPC then there is some high angle component.
>
> I had thought that low angle radiation is what is desired for 160M. So what does the FPC patterns show
> on the mapping program?
>
> Stay on course, fight a good fight, and keep the faith. Jim K9TF/WA9YSD
> _______________________________________________
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