[TowerTalk] Fractal Antennas, Chip Cohen (N1IR) on Nova Last Night

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

> Even if a self described fractal antenna is demonstrated to "work",
> whatever that means, we still don't know if it worked because of
> being fractal or in spite of being fractal. There is also a confusion
> between the meaning of "fractal" and the prior art of "frequency
> independent antennas".

My BS detector went off when Chip claimed that standard modeling tools
NEC-2/NEC-4 were inaccurate when it cable to *his* fractal antennas.
If they're suitable for a log-periodic dipole array (which is by
definition a fractal antenna), why don't they work with Chip's antennas?

The claims for HF fractals were simply so outlandish that without
verification by NEC or on a valid HF antenna range (good luck!),
fractal antennas at HF continue to be just so much smoke and mirrors.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV


On 12/15/2010 8:28 PM, Rick Karlquist wrote:
> I did a search of IEEE for papers on fractal antennas authored by Chip.
> There were none in referreed journals, and only 4 or 5 conference
> papers, and they were all rather old.  I looked at the papers and none of
> them really made a convincing case for fractal antennas IMHO.  It raises a
> red flag for me when I see someone making an end run around established
> technical journals and going to the general media, such as NOVA.
> Most of the time when I follow up on technical "breakthroughs"
> I read about in the general media, there is nothing to take to
> the bank.  Being in the general media seems to be more of a
> negative indicator than a positive one.
>
> Even if a self described fractal antenna is demonstrated to "work",
> whatever that means, we still don't know if it worked because of being
> fractal or in spite of being fractal.  There is also a confusion between
> the meaning of "fractal" and the prior art of "frequency independent
> antennas".
>
> Rick N6RK
>
>
>
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