home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Date: Mon, 7 Feb 94 08:13:34 PST
- From: Info-Hams Mailing List and Newsgroup <info-hams@ucsd.edu>
- Errors-To: Info-Hams-Errors@UCSD.Edu
- Reply-To: Info-Hams@UCSD.Edu
- Precedence: Bulk
- Subject: Info-Hams Digest V94 #120
- To: Info-Hams
-
-
- Info-Hams Digest Mon, 7 Feb 94 Volume 94 : Issue 120
-
- Today's Topics:
- Antenna Erection Aids
- Antenna Lawsuit (2 msgs)
- Guns and O2 (was Re:
- Robert is back (?) (w
- Shuttle STS-60 Ground Communications retransmission
- starting campus radio club faq, need info
- TS850 & PK-232MBX
-
- Send Replies or notes for publication to: <Info-Hams@UCSD.Edu>
- Send subscription requests to: <Info-Hams-REQUEST@UCSD.Edu>
- Problems you can't solve otherwise to brian@ucsd.edu.
-
- Archives of past issues of the Info-Hams Digest are available
- (by FTP only) from UCSD.Edu in directory "mailarchives/info-hams".
-
- We trust that readers are intelligent enough to realize that all text
- herein consists of personal comments and does not represent the official
- policies or positions of any party. Your mileage may vary. So there.
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Date: Sun, 6 Feb 1994 14:42:42 GMT
- From: netcomsv!netcomsv!bongo!julian@decwrl.dec.com
- Subject: Antenna Erection Aids
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- Recently, there was much correspondence about getting antennas
- up in trees. Short of hiring a trained monkey, there are various ways
- of getting a line up on a high limb. The favourites seemed to be: bow
- and arrow or catapult (sling shot) and spinning (fishing) reel with a
- weight.
-
- The most compact and least troublesome is the catapult and
- fishing reel combo. It is small and allows you to reel the line back.
- For the standard anti-social contester, it also means being able to do
- it alone, so you don't have to be nice to your neighbours or fellow
- hams so they will help you get that top band dipole up.
- The bow and arrow solution can use a fishing reel, but usually
- involves a second person to hold a rod and line while someone does the
- Robin Hood stuff. The second person often ends up being a grumpy
- spouse who needs no further persuasion that amateur radio is a waste
- of time, money and useful house space.
-
- For those appliance operators that would like the catapult
- and reel option but lack the motivation or skills to attach a $10.00
- reel to a $10.00 catapult with $00.02 of duct tape there is a
- solution.
-
- For only $39.95, you can buy a fishing reel catapult combo
- designed for the job. Call Chicago's Telecom Expert, 812 Nerge Road,
- Roselle, Illinois 60172. Phone (708) 980-7710 (24 Hours). Order the
- "Sling-A-Line". All the usual credit cards accepted.
-
- --
- Julian Macassey, N6ARE julian@bongo.tele.com Voice: (310) 659-3366
- Paper Mail: Apt 225, 975 Hancock Ave, West Hollywood, California 90069-4074
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Sat, 5 Feb 94 22:37:00 -0005
- From: wyvern!select!edellers@uunet.uu.net
- Subject: Antenna Lawsuit
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- Carole L. Hamilton <clh6w@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU> writes:
-
- >Sorry but I have to ask this question: Do you really think that
- >discrimination against a person merely because he has black
- >skin or because she is a female is the same as discrimination
- >against someone who wants to put a radio antenna?
-
- Yes. Both restrictions are based on irrational behavior against someone who is
- not committing harmful acts.
- ---
- │ Cam-GOLD v1.00:
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Sat, 5 Feb 94 22:35:00 -0005
- From: wyvern!select!edellers@uunet.uu.net
- Subject: Antenna Lawsuit
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- Carole L. Hamilton <clh6w@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU> writes:
-
- >That's a very fine distinction. The government runs the court system. If
- >I win my law suit I can get the sherrif to remove your radio tower.
- >If that's not the government enforcing my rights, it sure walks like a duck.
- >73, Ned AB6FI
-
- It may sound like a "fine distinction" to you, but it's a very real one.
-
- If I commit a crime against you, you can call the police and have me arrested;
- the DA prosecutes and I end up in jail. This takes NO effort or expense on your
- part except for talking to the cops and the DA's investigators and for
- testifying against me in court.
-
- In a civil case, YOU have to file the suit and hire the lawyers. If the court
- rules against me and I defy the order, YOU have to go back to court to get an
- order directing the sheriff to enforce the original order, again with your own
- legal counsel at your own expense.
-
- -- Ed Ellers, KD4AWQ
- ---
- │ Cam-GOLD v1.00:
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Sun, 6 Feb 94 05:45:00 -0005
- From: wyvern!select!dan@uunet.uu.net
- Subject: Guns and O2 (was Re:
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- myers@pongo.West.Sun.COM (Dana Myers ) writes:
-
- > In article <2irn94$rsj@sugar.NeoSoft.COM> xraytech@sugar.NeoSoft.COM (A great
- > >In article <2irhk2INNbna@abyss.west.sun.com>,
- > >Dana Myers <myers@pongo.West.Sun.COM> wrote:
- > >>
- > >>Now, back to amateur radio concerns...
- > >> * This Extra supports the abolition of the 13 and 20 WPM tests *
- > >
- > >Why not abolish ALL testing. It seems to me that's what most of the
- > >whiners want anyway, right?
- > >
- >
- >
- > Does anyone else suspect that Robert Coyle (WA3J) is back?
-
- I was thinking the very same thing, just not enough to mention it!
-
-
- Dan Pickersgill N8PKV - dan@mystis.wariat.org - ac447@po.cwru.edu
- ---
- │ Cam-GOLD v1.00:
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Sun, 6 Feb 94 05:55:00 -0005
- From: wyvern!select!dan@uunet.uu.net
- Subject: Robert is back (?) (w
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- myers@pongo.West.Sun.COM (Dana Myers ) writes:
-
- > In article <CKoDx2.ALv@ucdavis.edu> ez006683@chip.ucdavis.edu (Daniel D. Todd
- > >A great x ray technician! (xraytech@sugar.NeoSoft.COM) wrote:
- > >
- > >: Why not abolish ALL testing. It seems to me that's what most of the
- > >: whiners want anyway, right?
- > >
- > >Dianne, if you had read my previous post before hitting the 'followup'
- > >key you'd know what most of the 'whiners' want.
- Only when you misquote them.
-
- >
- > It appears that "Robert" Robert Coyle WA3J is back, this time
- > attempting to hide behind some "Great X-ray technician" moniker.
- > The mention of "Dianne" is the attribution of a quote in his
- > ".signature", though we know Robert would rather be anonymous
- > and just stir up trouble, like most jammers. So, just like
- > the way jammers should be dealt with, ignore Robert's pathetic
- > attempts at attention.
-
- You are SO right! With the salvo fired right at me, I should have seen
- it. My appologies to the Net. (Not to Robert!)
-
-
- Dan Pickersgill N8PKV - dan@mystis.wariat.org - ac447@po.cwru.edu
- ---
- │ Cam-GOLD v1.00:
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 5 Feb 1994 02:12:06 GMT
- From: olivea!inews.intel.com!scdt!dbraun@uunet.uu.net
- Subject: Shuttle STS-60 Ground Communications retransmission
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- In article <3FEB199413132447@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov>, stocker@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov (ERICH FRANZ STOCKER) writes:
- |> The Goddard Amateur Radio Club (GARC) WA3NAN invites you to tune into
- |> Shuttle transmissions. As a public service to the Amateur radio community,
- |> the GARC retransmits space shuttle air-to-ground communications. During the
- |> STS-60 mission, Amateur radio operators, shortwave listeners, and those
- |> individuals with scanners can listen to these communications on the following
- |> frequencies:
- |>
-
- Didn't the NASA Ames Radio Club (?) in the bay area also do this?
- Will they be doing it this time? Waht freq?
- -
-
- Doug Braun Intel Design Technology
- 408 765-4279
-
- dbraun@scdt.intel.com
-
- / decwrl \
- | hplabs |
- or maybe: -| oliveb |- !intelca!mipos3!cadev6!dbraun
- | amd |
- \ qantel /
-
-
- "There is no human problem which could not be solved if
- people would simply do as I advise." -- Gore Vidal
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 6 Feb 1994 19:38:36 GMT
- From: pacbell.com!sgiblab!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!yeshua.marcam.com!news.kei.com!newsstand.cit.cornell.edu!cu-dialup-0423.cit.cornell.edu!user@network.ucsd.edu
- Subject: starting campus radio club faq, need info
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- Hello,
- I would like to start a FAQ for Collage Amateur Radio Clubs. If you know
- of a radio club on campus could you send me some info about it. I╘m looking
- for
- -Name of the Club
- -School
- -Address
- -Club Officers and email addresses if possible
- -Repeaters
- -Club station (Y/N) Callsign and what type of equipment
- -Organizations the club belongs to (ARRL, 10-10, etc)
- -Year started
- -#members
- -bands members can be found on
- -email address (if possible) of the club╘s listserver
- -a short history of the club
-
- Even if you can╘t answer all the questions, oh well, its a start. I will
- put the
- info on a ftp site and/or post if people are interested.
- Thanks,
-
- -Jeff Luszcz N2TIQ
- jrl2@cornell.edu
- Cornell Amateur Radio Club W2CXM
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Fri, 04 Feb 1994 13:34:12 -0500
- From: ftpbox!mothost!lmpsbbs!NewsWatcher!user@uunet.uu.net
- Subject: TS850 & PK-232MBX
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- In article <hawley.760296961@aries>, hawley@aries.scs.uiuc.edu (Chuck
- Hawley) wrote:
-
- > COLERK%snypotvx.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU writes:
- > >Well I've tried just about everything I can think of...I'm attempting to
- > >use the PK-232 with my TS-850.....problem is an awfull lot of rf getting
- > >back into the Kenwood. I've tried shielded cable, additional grounding
- > >straps between both units, shorter lengths of cable - no luck. Anyone
- > >have a clue as to how to eliminate the unwanted rf? Seems I might of saw
- > >a posting here addressing this very problem but not sure. Thanks in
- > >advance for any replies, 73...Roger/N5IFH
- >
- > I use the FT240-77 ferrite toroid from Amidon to remedy rf getting into
- > things thru hookup cables. The 240 size is big enough to get even line cord
- > plugs thru it. Try to thread about 10 or so turns through the toroid with the
- > toroid ending up right next to the 850 (or whatever device you're trying to
- > keep the rf out of...works great with tv line cords!).
- > There is a mod to reduce the 850's audio data input sensitivity (that's the
- > input at the rear din connector), but I have found the choke to work well
- > instead. Bundle all the leads together, no need to have a separate toroid
- > for each cable. Amidon Assoc. ph# 310-763-5770.
- >
- > Chuck Hawley
- > KE9UW
-
- OK folks, now that the discussion has gone astray, let's fix the real
- problem, not the symptoms! The problem is excessive RF, probably due to a
- mismatched antenna system. Toroids will possibly reduce the RF running
- around on the common ground wires, but the first step should be to
- eliminate the RF, not the interference. Find out WHY there is so much RF in
- the air:
- 1) If you aren't using a tuner and balanced feed on a dipole, you should
- be;
- 2) If you have only one ground wire on the transceiver, try multiple runs
- of ┼┼┼varying lengths to eliminate resonances;
- 3) Ground NOT to the AC wall outlet but to a REAL (cold water pipe) ground.
- ┼┼┼Otherwise you couple RF into EVERY device that has a 3-wire cord.
- I'm sure there will be several others, including Gary Coffman, who can add
- to the list of ways to reduce the amount of RF floating about. Then you
- won't need to worry about the toroids. BTW, you DO need one per cable,
- otherwise you couple the RF from one lead onto all the others. Remember, a
- toroid is a one-turn transformer, so all leads share equally in the
- currents!
- --
- Karl Beckman, P.E. < STUPIDITY is an elemental force for which >
- Motorola Comm - Fixed Data < no earthquake is a match. -- Karl Kraus >
-
- The opinions expressed above aren't even claimed by the author!
- Amateur radio WA8NVW @ K8MR.NEOH.USA.NA NavyMARS VBH @ NOGBN.NOASI
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Sun, 6 Feb 1994 18:05:58 GMT
- From: pacbell.com!sgiblab!swrinde!emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary@network.ucsd.edu
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- References <Anthony_Pelliccio-020294104608@138.16.64.8>, <2itt8qINN3q@cronkite.Central.Sun.COM>, <CKpy6n.4F7@news.direct.net>
- Reply-To : gary@ke4zv.atl.ga.us (Gary Coffman)
- Subject : Re: "Flexible" 9913 (Was - Re: Coaxial cable)
-
- In article <CKpy6n.4F7@news.direct.net> kg7bk@indirect.com (Cecil Moore) writes:
- >Steve Bunis SE Southwest Chicago (doc@webrider.central.sun.com) wrote:
- >: > Some other things to keep in mind about 9913. Remember that you'll need
- >: > special UHF N connectors if you plan on using the cable for UHF
- >: > applications.
- >
- >: Also, regarding the N connectors, at what point do they start making
- >: a discernible difference? I thought that NMO was supposed to do well
- >: at least past the 70cm. band. -- Steve Bunis
- >
- >My dual-band 2x4MAX Comet has an so239 connector on it. Just how bad
- >is a pl259 connection on UHF? Should I use an N to so239 adapter? I
- >use 9913 on HF with pl259s and some copper tape.
-
- The problem with SO239, and the mating PL259, connectors is that they
- aren't 50 ohm impedance connectors. Therefore they represent an impedance
- bump on the coax that can affect VSWR. *However*, their impedance mismatch
- can be *absorbed* into radio or antenna matching networks by competent
- designers. Therefore, the coax sees a match even though the connector in
- isolation would present a mismatch. So it's OK to have them at the endpoints
- of a line *if the equipment is designed for them*. Having them in the middle
- of a line (like with jumpers) is bad news. Same thing with NMO, the antenna
- is *designed* to use this connector/mount and absorbs it's impedance into
- the network. Don't worry, be happy, these connectors are OK in good designs.
- However, beware, there are companies who try to pass off CB mounts for
- VHF/UHF. Those will kill your signal due to excessive capacitance between
- inner and outer conductors. I bought one "70cm groundplane" antenna that
- was an effective dead short at 70 cm due to the 1/4 inch stud whip mount
- having only 1/16 inch insulated sleeve between the stud and the plate mount.
-
- Gary
- --
- Gary Coffman KE4ZV | You make it, | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary
- Destructive Testing Systems | we break it. | uunet!rsiatl!ke4zv!gary
- 534 Shannon Way | Guaranteed! | emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary
- Lawrenceville, GA 30244 | |
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: (null)
- From: (null)
- >Let me state it again...for vertical antennas, a half wave vertical has more
- >gain than a quarter wave vertical, a 5/8 wave has more gain still, a 3/4 wave
- >has more yet, and so on...But how does the gain change if fed from the center
- >or off center like a Zepp (don't I remember something about them having a gain
- >of 1.66 over a dipole or something like that...probably wrong).
-
- Feedpoint location is irrelevant for pattern calculations of halfwave
- radiators, that's strictly a matching issue. (In practice, different
- matching systems can impact antenna *system efficiency*, but that's
- a separate issue. The relevant formula for vertical radiator field
- strength at a given angle from the vertical is
-
- E=((60*I)/(D*sin(2*pi*h/L))*
- ((cos((2*pi*h/L)*cos(phi)))-(cos(2*pi*h/L))/sin(phi))
-
- Where E is field intensity in mV/m,
- I is antenna base current in amperes
- h is length of antenna in meters
- L is wavelength in meters
- D is distance from the antenna is kilometers,
- Phi is the angle from the vertical of the radiation
-
- If you run this equation for a family of antenna lengths, you'll find
- that maximum radiation perpendicular to the antenna (toward the horizon)
- occurs at an antenna length of 0.639 wavelengths. This was worked out
- in 1935 by Gihring and Brown, "General Considerations of Tower Antennas
- for Broadcast Use", Proceedings of the IRE, vol 23, pp.311-356, April, 1935.
-
-
- >But, we have to remember for a vertical antenna at given frequency, as the length
- >of the radiating element increases the angle of radiation rises. And since it is such
- >a theoretical nightmare to compute real world RF patterns we talk about theoretical
- >perfect situations over perfect grounds and then compare those to the real world ones
- >in the ARRL Antenna Handbook and other such material. I don't know too many Hams who
- >can setup an acre of land with 120 radials spaced equaly around in a circle, seed the
- >ground with the proper amound of rock salt, and do the rest to make as perfect of
- >ground as possible (this is suppose to work for Yagi/Quad beams on towers too). Wish
- >I had the place to do this...or is it 100 acres?
-
- Well we broadcasters do, and the angle of maximum radiation does *not*
- rise monotonically with increasing length. In fact, starting with a short
- antenna, it *decreases* until a length of 0.636 wavelength is reached, and
- then increases back toward the short antenna case as length increases further
- until it reachs the *same* value at 0.75 wavelength as it had at 0.25
- wavelength. Beyond 0.75 wavelength, the pattern breaks into minor lobes
- and gain perpendicular to the antenna continues to decrease. A vertical
- antenna 0.639 wavelengths in height has the *maximum* broadside gain of
- any simple vertical.
-
- Data from _Reference Data for Radio Engineers_, 4th edition, pp.672-673.
-
- >>>It is not true that a 5/8 wave vertical is the highest gain vertical.
- >>>What it is is the best compromise for the gain and angle of radiation. As the
- >>>vertical element, or any element for that matter, gets longer for a given
- >>>wavelength the major lobe/lobes eminating from the antenna start skeewing(sp)
- >>>towards the far end of the antenna. This is why long wire antennas several wave
- >>>length long at a given frequency are directional antennas. And, why Rhombic
- >>>antennas are a combination of this characteristic.
- >
- >>Well that's almost true anyway. The 5/8 wave vertical over real
- >>ground has the best gain perpendicular to it's axis of any *simple*
- >>vertical antenna. Stacked and phased sections can have more gain
- >>toward the horizon. Really long antennas develop minor lobes and
- >>have their power directed in multiple undesired directions.
- >Gary
- >
- >Gary, I agree that stacked dipoles develope more gain than single ones. And
- >their radiation pattern is perpendicular to the direction they are setup,
- >normally in a vertical configuration although I believe a collinear array
- >is an example of horizontally polarized broadside dipole array with stubs
- >to bring their patterns into phase and combine to make a higher gain signal.
- >(now how is that for a run on sentence). But, on page 8-32 of the 1991 ARRL
- >Antenna Handbook they list the theoretical power gain of various 1/2 wavelength
- >collinear arrays...
- > ' 2 collinear elements---1.6 db
- > 3 collinear elements---3.1 db
- > 4 collinear elements---4.2 db '
- > ARRL Antenna Handbook, 16th Edition
- >
- >On page 8-24 of the same book is listed a 3 element, 1/4 wavelength vertical array in a line,
- >1/2 wavelength appart, each being fed with 3/4 wavelength coax phasing line to bring them into
- >phase. It is not clear weather this is a broadside of end fire (think that is the correct term)
- >array. Gain figures are states as follows...
- >
- > ' If the element currents are equal, the resulting pattern has a foward gain of 5.7 db
- >(for lossless elements) ... If the currents are tapered in a binomial coefficient 1:2:1 ratio
- >(twice the current in the center element as the two end elements), the gain drops to 5.2 db, the
- >main lobes widen, and the side lobes disappear. ... '
- > ARRL Antenna Handbook, 16th Edition
- >
- >
- >This seems to indicate that it is possible to get more gain from 1/4 wavelength verticals than
- >from 1/2 wavelength elements in a vertical or horizontal pattern. Hum... I would be the first to
- >admit antenna theory makes my head spin sometimes but when the ARRL says a 4 element horizontal
- >colliniear array has less gain that a 3 element 1/4 wave vertical array, I tend to believe it. I
- >may not understand all the wherefores and as such but I tend to believe them.
-
- Yeah, well that's because you're comparing apples and oranges. In the
- case of the endfire 3 el array, the horizontal pattern is a figure 8.
- In the case of the colinear vertical array, the horizontal pattern is
- omni-directional. Both have a compressed vertical pattern, though the
- colinear is much more compressed (that's where it gets *all* it's gain).
- Compressing the pattern in *two* planes naturally gives more gain than
- only compressing it in one, but forms a *directional* vertical antenna
- rather than an omni-directional antenna. Apples and oranges. (Note too
- that the example colinear has *zero* spacing between elements. That's
- the lowest possible gain stacking arrangement. See your Cushcraft 4-pole
- numbers for vertical elements stacked with 1/2 wave spacing. Much higher
- gain.)
-
- >On page 2-23 of the same text...
- > ' ...An infinitely thin 1/2 wavelength dipole has a theoretical gain of 2.14 db
- >over an isotropic radiator (dBi)... '
- > ARRL Antenna Handbook, 16th Edition
- >And I know that the thinner the dipole the higher the Q of the resonant circuit, so an "infinitely
- >thin" dipole has the highest Q. In other words, the highest gain. This is why a Quagi, quad driven
- >element and reflector with dipole directors has more gain theoretically than a quad with the same
- >boom length. (I have a love/hate relationship with quads) Higher Q elements.
-
- No. Gain and Q are not directly related. A quad loop has a lower Q
- than a dipole element, that's one of it's features, greater bandwidth,
- but a 2 el quad has more gain than a 2 el yagi, about the same as a
- 3 el yagi in fact. That's because a loop has a bigger capture area,
- and antenna gain is related to capture area by the following formula
-
- G=(4*pi*A)/L^2
-
- Where G is gain,
- A is aperture area,
- L is wavelength.
-
- >I haven't been able to find a gain figure for a single 1/4 wavelength vertical in the ARRL Antenna
- >Handbook. Looking through the Amateur Radio Supply catolog(Winter 93/94) it is easy to see how gain
- > figures vary.
- >Having had some experience with Cushcraft antennas and believing they do their homework, I quote
- >some of their specs...
- > ' Four Pole Array ... (stacked dipole for VHF/UHF ranges)...
- > AFM-4DA...144-148 (MHz)... Gain, dBd ... (over a dipole) ... 9 Offset(?)...6 Omni...'
- > (page 107)
- > (that is a 4 dipole stacked array with 6 db gain over a dipole...sounds like
- > a bit of difference from the ARRL Handbook figures...4.2 db, so much
- > for homework)
-
- Apples and oranges again. The 4-pole is a 1/2 wave spaced stacked array of
- halfwave dipole elements while the colinear you chose from the Handbook has
- *zero* spacing. Halfwave spacing gives a *much* sharper lobe, hence greater
- gain, than a zero spaced array. What they mean by offset and omni in the
- 4-pole spec is that the elements can be arranged all on one side of the
- mast (offset) for 9 dbd gain *in that horizontal direction*, or they can
- be staggered 90 degrees apart as they go up the pole for 6 dbd *omni*
- horizontal gain. Actually, this is a crummy antenna, and Cushcraft is
- always optimistic in their gain figures. A Comet stacked antenna is a
- better comparison.
-
- Advertised antenna gain figures are generally measured by the
- marketing department, not the engineering department. That's
- why QST refuses to print them.
-
- Gary
- --
- Gary Coffman KE4ZV | You make it, | gatech!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary
- Destructive Testing Systems | we break it. | uunet!rsiatl!ke4zv!gary
- 534 Shannon Way | Guaranteed! | emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary
- Lawrenceville, GA 30244 | |
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Sun, 6 Feb 1994 17:54:01 GMT
- From: pacbell.com!sgiblab!swrinde!emory!kd4nc!ke4zv!gary@network.ucsd.edu
- To: info-hams@ucsd.edu
-
- References <CKM79r.45H@sunsrvr6.cci.com>, <2ire53$o2g@explorer.clark.net>, <2iui7p$vm@cascade.ens.tek.com>
- Reply-To : gary@ke4zv.atl.ga.us (Gary Coffman)
- Subject : Re: Vertical Antennas
-
- In article <2iui7p$vm@cascade.ens.tek.com> t1terryb@cascade.ens.tek.com (Terry Burge) writes:
- >In article <2ip6he$933@cascade.ens.tek.com> t1terryb@cascade.ens.tek.com (Terry Burge) writes:
- >>>Just for the record, I will state it again. A ground plane antenna has higher
- >>>gain than a vertical dipole. A quarter wave ground plane has a gain of some-
- >>>where around 6 db over isotropic where a dipole has a gain of 2.14 db over
- >>>isotropic at it's theoritical best. Gain in an antenna is directly related
- >>>to it's RF pattern. I believe the reason a ground plane has more gain than
- >>>a vertical dipole is because it has a more concentraited pattern like an
- >>>elongated tear drop as opposed to the fat donut shape of a dipole.
- [ke4zv]
- >>Repeating false statements makes them no less false. A 1/4 wave vertical
- >>over a *perfect* groundplane has *exactly* the same gain and pattern as
- >>a 1/2 wave vertical. But alas, there are no perfect groundplanes in the
- >>real world, so all real 1/4 wave verticals have less gain than 1/2 wave
- >>verticals because of losses in the imperfect current mirror.
- >
- >>> As to weather an R5 or R7 are vetical dipoles or half wave verticals,
- >>>I am no expert on them. I have never used one. But from everything I have
- >>>read about vertical antennas, they must have a ground plane to mimic the
- >>>other have of the antenna. Some systems utilize the shield of the coax cut
- >>>to a certain length to do this I believe...seems some VHF/UHF antennas lend
- >>>themselves to this. Other than that, ground rods would help as would sea water
- >>>too.
- [ke4zv]
- >>A 1/2 wave antenna, it doesn't matter if it's fed in the middle or from
- >>the end, doesn't require a current mirror, so it doesn't require a groundplane
- >>or any other connection to ground. It's a resonant structure by itself,
- >>there is no "other half" required. On the other hand, a 1/4 wave vertical
- >>is self-resonant at *twice* the design frequency in the absence of a current
- >>mirroring groundplane. So it must have a groundplane to function as a 1/4
- >>wave vertical antenna at the design frequency.
- >
- >>> It is true that a half wave vertical has more gain than a 1/4 wave
- >>>vertical.
- [ke4zv]
- >>What? You just stated otherwise above. Make up your mind.
- >
- >No I didn't, I said Half Wave Vertical, not dipole. You are the one who said
- >there is no differance in gain weather it is fed in the middle or at the end.
-
- That's right, because there *is* no difference in radiation pattern, and
- hence forward gain. The only effect of feedpoint placement is different
- impedances presented to the transmission line, a non-issue with proper
- matching networks.
-
- The relevant power formulas for isotropic (theoretical) and actual 1/2
- wave radiatiors are
-
- Isotropic P=Pt/(4*pi*R^2)
-
- halfwave P=1.64*Pt/(4*pi*R^2)
-
- Pt is transmitted power in watts
- R is the perpendicular distance from the radiator in meters.
-
- There is *no* distinction as to feed point placement.
-
- ------------------------------
-
- End of Info-Hams Digest V94 #120
- ******************************
-