Topband: Radials, EZNEC and far field

[n4is at comcast.net]

Hi Frank

You wrote " .  A vertical over a salt marsh or within about a wavelength of
salt water will produce
6 dB or more of gain at low angles compared to a vertical with poorly
conducting soil in its reflection zone 
"

The assumption that "next to the water" is the same as "in the water" , is a
not right.  It is not the same ! 

I listen to George signal with vertical "in the water " and the 10 db
difference in signal is real.  Moving the antenna on the beach and you lose
10 db or even more on practice, not on paper.

I see that on my S  meter more than a dozen times.

George has a vertical on his house in Miami, the ground plane is just a
plate down the water. The vertical is made with fiberglass pole 18m high. My
antenna is a full size vertical with a good radial system over the Everglade
land, if I dig 2 Ft I have water from the Everglade underground river. 

George can run a pile up from Europe with 10W, I can keep up with him
running legal limit power. We are talking about 160m only.

73's
JC
N4IS