[TowerTalk] 80 meter antenna choice

[Richard (Rick) Karlquist]

On 7/9/2020 9:07 AM, jimlux wrote:
> 
> Then, there's the "power absorbed in the soil" issue - an elevated 
> vertical dipole, or a limited number of above ground horizontal radials 
> both have the potential problem that the near field of the antenna is 
> "in the soil" and absorbing power.  Highly conductive or highly wet soil 
> both have a good (high) reflection coefficient, so less of the field 
> winds up being absorbed.
> 

I have heard this kind of theory before.  But I did A/B testing of a 1/4
wave ground mounted vertical with 32 1/4 wave radials vs a 1/2
wave ground mounted vertical (driven from the bottom) with no
radials or counterpoise (except the coax shield running away.
This was on 20 meters.  As far as I could determine from listening
to signals on the air, the antennas were equal, over my high
conductivity ground.  The drive impedance of the 1/2 wave
was around 900 ohms; a base mounting matching network
was employed.

73
Rick N6RK