Re: [TowerTalk] dumbing down

[Jim Lux]

At 10:16 AM 7/23/2005, Peter Chadwick wrote:
>Roger said:
>"There have been many other examples, but it
>is (just) conceivable that one day somebody will
>invent an efficient hf antenna that happens to fit in
>a cornflake box"
>
>Yes, but both the work Chu and Wheeler have stood the test of time. They 
>say it will have high Q and low radiation resistance. Maybe if we can have 
>room temp superconductors...
>
>73
>Peter W7/G3RZP


HTS just makes it lower loss. Which will raise the Q and make the antenna 
narrow band. That will cause a problem with current rigs, although one can 
conceive of purpose designed systems that can tolerate that (efficiency 
WILL raise it's ugly head though.. hard to synthesize the reactive power 
without consuming some active power)  Also, there's the directivity thing.. 
hard to get directivity in a small package that's efficient.

And, as become abundantly clear as I fool with designs for hidden 
antennas:  The best, most efficient antenna in the world will have 
problems, because you're dependent on the EM properties of the surface 
hundreds of meters away.  (That raft with the remote station floating in 
the Salton Sea is looking more attractive every minute!)