[TowerTalk] Temp tower/antenna question

[Jim Brown]

On 2/2/2013 8:30 AM, jcjacobsen at q.com wrote:
> Nothing wrong with a ground rod to an auto tuner and a wire up in a tree.

Actually, a ground rod is a way to WASTE transmitter power.  The earth 
is a big resistor,. We do NOT want a connection to the earth to make a 
vertical or other end fed antenna work, we want a low resistance path 
for return current. That's often called a "counterpoise" -- a wire 
connected to the shield side of the transmitter output and strung out 
either on the ground or into the weeds.  Radials are another way to 
carry that return current, but the serve the additional function of 
SHIELDING the antenna from the earth.

My favorite temporary antennas are dipoles I can hoist into a tree using 
some form of launcher to get a rope around a branch to pull it up, or a 
long wire launched the same way, with some form of counterpoise or 
radials, or a vertical of some sort, also fed against radials or a 
counterpoise. My choice of which to use are based on the availability of 
suitable sky hooks.

73, Jim K9YC