Topband: FCP Folded Counterpoise

[Tom W8JI]

> Thanks, but I realized that. I was just curious, because somewhere I read
> that the FCP had a slightly narrower bandwidth than a couple of elevated
> radials.
>
>
> Mike, The wider the bandwidth the less effective the antenna is. A good
>> xmit antenna on 160 may have a 2:1 VSWR range
>> of perhaps 30 to 40 KHz.


Actually, that statement isn't true at all. That claim is a complete 
misstatement of rules. I'm surprised anyone repeats it or believes it.

Bandwidth by itself has nothing to do with efficiency or gain. We can have 
antennas 5 kHz wide that have less than 1% efficiency, and antennas 500 kHz 
wide that are nearly 100% efficiency.

As a matter of fact, as a ground systems get better, it is entirely possible 
for the same antenna to have more bandwidth. It is, of course, possible to 
do the opposite.

Why focus on something meaningless, other than describing bandwidth as an 
operating convenience?

73 Tom