[TowerTalk] What does -db antenna gain mean?

[ko7ss at yahoo.com]

The sunspots are gone and I need a better 160M transmit antenna. My previous Cushcraft MA160V

over 50 X 50' radials worked OK for my expectations, but it had a very narrow bandwidth and the

top loading coil would overheat with more than 500W and shift the resonant frequency so that

the 2K-FA would go to standby. This antenna is for a new QTH.


According to a Cebik article, a 160M inverted L over 4 x 50' radials has a -2.2 db gain. I think

a -3 db gain would mean half the power would go into the ground? But if I were running 1500W I
would still be better off from a transmitting standpoint compared to the old antenna?

Thanks, Bill KO7SS