Very interesting discussion. Can't we quantify our ground systems by placing RF ammeters at the feed point? >>>>>
No, we cannot obtain reliable useful information there. If we want to know field strength change, we have to measure field strength change. :-) It would seem to me that once the current in the ground wire - whether it be attached to a ground stake, ground radials, elevated counterpoise, resonant radials or whatever - is equal to the radiator current no further improvement is possible. >>>> Current into the ground terminal always equals current into the antenna terminal, unless the feedline is radiating or acting as a ground. The problem is this..... Feed resistance and feed current tells us nothing about how losses are distributed in a system with standing waves. I can have a fixed radiator and change only ground systems, and have higher efficiency with lower feed current or higher feed resistance. The opposite can be true, also. This is because measuring something at one point does not tell us what is happening at other points in a complex system. We don't know what portion is leaving in space or heating the earth, because once out of the antenna it is gone. The only possible way to measure efficiency change is to measure field strength. People who measure feedpoint resistance changes while changing radials or ground systems and think they know loss changes are just kidding themselves. 73 Tom _______________________________________________ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
