Topband: raised radials

[Tom W8JI]

> Or the person on here who went from an extensive radial system to a full 
> screen claimed a 5dB improvement but now denys the possibility. Its in the 
> TB archives from 1998.

Carl,

Please try to stop that silly disappointing long-time practice of re-writing 
what other people say just to start a fight.

I ****NEVER**** said I didn't measure a 5 dB change, or that some system 
changes can't produce a 5 dB (or even a 30 dB) change when someone does 
something terribly wrong in a system. What I am saying is:

1.) Your claim you felt you had a ~10 dB change, based on your feelings of 
how much a signal must change busting a pileup, when you added some screen 
to a system is pretty silly. It is a test at least days apart on sky wave 
with no data reference at all. It is typical junk science of the worse kind. 
If your original ground system did not have severe issues, the imagined "10 
dB" would be impossible.

2.)  Broadcast stations use a screen as a connection point and mechanical 
convenience, NOT to improve signal or effiency. The screen allows people to 
walk near the tower base without falling over wires, and it allows 
connecting boxes, fences, posts, and other things into the radials no matter 
where they are located near the base. They also usually use stone at the 
base, and weedkiller...so we can't assume everything they do is for "signal 
reasons".

If you take some time to read FCC guidelines, the screen is actually 
optional. If you read Lewis, Brown, and Epstein, instead of misreading 
Topband archives, you will see they ALSO said the screen does not when a 
adequate number and length of radials is present.

Please stop the silly childish misrepresentations.

73 Tom