Topband: Skimmer calibration

[Tom W8JI]

> BC antennas have the elaborate radial system in order to get that 
> groundwave while the typical on ground ham vertical loses a lot of the 
> 0-10 degree (or more) radiation. Go to the beach to get it back.....or go 
> with elevated radials.
>
>

That just isn't factual at all. Radials under the vertical antenna have 
virtually no effect on wave angle unless they are sparse and grossly 
unbalanced, allowing them to radiate like a low horizontal antenna.

Radials change the efficiency, not the pattern, unless the radials radiate 
like a dipole.

73 Tom