[TowerTalk] More fun with ground plane modeling

[Bill Turner]

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On Wed, 10 Sep 2014 11:13:03 -0700, K9YC wrote:

>
>SWR is a lousy measure of antenna performance -- the only thing it 
>indicates is match to the chosen transmission line. Far better to 
>compute the full 3-D field strength and study field strength at the 
>desired vertical and horizontal angles.

REPLY:

You really need both good SWR and good patterns to have a good
antenna. Sacrifice either one and you have a lousy antenna. A bad
pattern will not harm your rig but a bad SWR can send it to the radio
hospital.  :-)

I haven't done 3D modeling but I have done 2D in azimuth and elevation
and the patterns are almost identical to a traditional ground plane.
Only when the vertical element gets close to or beyond a half wave
does the pattern really change. Mine is no where near that. 

73, Bill W6WRT