[TowerTalk] 16om vertical and the number of radials

[Jim Brown]

On 12/2/2022 8:22 AM, WESLEY ATTAWAY wrote:
> I think you would have to look at the details re the really loud stations.  They probably do have good radial systems and also have particularly good ground/water/soil for fairly long distances around the antenna.

YES! The earth is a big resistor. Soil quality affects transmitter field 
strength two ways. First, loss in the soil very close to the antenna 
make the antenna less efficient. Radials reduce this component. Second, 
loss in the far field, distant from the antenna. There's nothing we can 
do about this. There's an excellent discussion of this in one of the 
ARRL publications, either the Antenna Book or the ON4UN book.

73, Jim K9YC