[TowerTalk] New N6LF Ground Probe Designs

[Richard (Rick) Karlquist]

On 3/1/2024 10:44 AM, Brian Beezley wrote:
> Rudy Severns, N6LF, has updated his writeup on ground parameter 
> measurement with several new probe designs. A ground probe and NanoVNA 

I'm not trying to take away anything from Rudy's excellent work, but he 
doesn't explain in the posted article what useful advantage we can
derive from the measurements.  It only gives a spot measurement of the
top foot of soil.  And the soil that matters is the soil at large
distances from the antenna.  It is unlikely that this probe could be
used to survey all that area of land that isn't owned by the ham with
the antenna.

Also, I would prefer Rudy's previous method using a low 1/2 wave dipole.
It covers more area and presumably would penetrate into the soil more
than a foot.

Another thing I would prefer is to simply put up a vertical and a dipole
and A/B them for signal strength on various RBN stations.

Finally, it is also possible to build a Beverage antenna and run
a current probe along it as I have done and determined how fast
it attenuates with distance.

I know very well that my QTH is over highly conductive ground without
ever using an OWL probe.

73
Rick N6RK