[TowerTalk] modeling compare: 80M, 2EL vs 4SQ

[StellarCAT]

Hello all.... please forgive the rehash but I feel a bit excited, at least for me on finding out HOW IMPORTANT ground quality is in evaluating a 4sq. 

Brief history: I had a rotary dipole in Arizona on 80 at 131’ and it performed very well equaling and often beating out 4 sq’s in the ‘area’ (few hundred miles out) very often except on LP. 

So I’m moving to South Carolina and planning on a station there. I’m wondering about 80. Do I do the rotary again? Do I do a 4 sq? (dreaming: 2 el?)

I’ve never seen a model of a 4 sq that included radials (EZNEC-5) ...note: I’m sure they’re out there – just haven’t seen one. So comparing to me was a bit meaningless using the 
provided 4square that comes with EZ (it has none). So I read the manual again and I believe figured out how to do the radials – or at least an approximation of them. 

If I put in 17 radials that are each 0.15 WL long at 0.3 ft above ground (the elements starting here as well)... this allows me to provide a non-overlapping radial field (so no worries 
about problems with EZNEC geometry check). I know, I know – short and few – but that is addressed later...

Using 2mS and comparing its results to a 130’ high dipole the dipole is equivalent at essentially all angles and exceeds the 4sq at 10 degrees with more than 2db more gain at its peak of 24 degrees. 

If I change to 8mS, about what I had in AZ, indeed the crossover point is now 19 degrees and the 4sq is 5db stronger at say 5 degrees showing what I often saw on LP and very long contacts again in AZ. 

If I change to 30mS ... what some people have – wow – big difference. The 4 sq REALLY plays well. 

Going back to SC where the ground is 2mS: If I add in a 2el beam at this same height as the dipole and compare it to the 4sq ... well now the beam is better at all angles... 3db better at 5 degrees and 6db at 15 deg.

Of course I know there will be a difference in the 4sq with longer and more radials. Where I’m stuck is how to add these with the geometry check of EZNEC. (Or even more complicated: how to do the ‘+’ center connection rails often shown for a 4 sq radial system). 

If anyone can help please drop me an email at
garymyers at powerc dot net. Thanks,  Gary, K9RX