Message-ID: <3.0.1.16.19991213124113.1257fc2c@mail.cc.kuleuven.ac.be>
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1999 12:41:13
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
From: "Rik Strobbe" <rik.strobbe@fys.kuleuven.ac.be>
Subject: LF: Antenna capasitance
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Lots of rain and strong winds all weekend, so my antenna was is 'save
position' (all ropes loose) all weekend except for friday evening when I
heard ON6ND with his new TX (now 599+), some G's and OH1TN with a very
strong signal (579).

I took some time for reading and found a couple of interesting formulas for
calculating the 'free space' capasitance of wires :

1. Horizontal wire : 
C(pF) = 0.24 x Er x L(cm) / log(4 x H / D)
where Er = relative diëlectric constant (1.0006 for air), L = wire length,
H = wire height and D = wire diameter

2. Vertical wire high above ground :
C(pF) = 0.24 x Er x L(cm) / log(L / D)

3. Vertical wire close to ground (H << L/4)
C(pF) = 0.24 x Er x L(cm) / log(1.15 x L / D)

I made some calculations for a 3mm thick wire and the results are very
acceptable :
For a horizontal wire I got a capasitance of 7.7pF/m at 1m height,
decreasing to 6.3pF/ at 5m height, 5.8pF/m at 10m height and 5.2pF/m at 30m
height.
For horizontal wires starting at ground level I got 9.3pF for a 1m heigh
wire (average 9.3pF/m), 36.6pF for a 5m heigh wire (average 7.3pF/m),
67.0pF for a 10m heigh wire (average 6.7pF/m) and 177.3pF for a 30m heigh
wire (average 5.9pF/m)

73, Rik  ON7YD