LF: Re: Ground proximity antennas

["James Moritz" <james.moritz@btopenworld.com>]

Dear Mal, LF Group,

G3KEV wrote:
...>Antennas described on here recently on or near the ground are only 
variations of Beverage antennas and inefficient for Transmitting...
This is missing the point. I think the interesting questions about such 
antennas are:
-Achieving great enough antenna height  to make an LF antenna that is 
actually "efficient" is usually impossible for amateurs. Sometimes it is 
possible to erect a very long, but low height antenna, so does this form of 
antenna have advantages in efficiency or otherwise over a short, low height 
antenna? What is the best way of using such antennas?
-The text-book explanation of Beverage antenna operation, including that low 
ground conductivity is neccessary for proper operation, etc. is not very 
convincing to me - I don't really believe that such an antenna over a 
perfect ground plane would fail to radiate or receive any signals. So in 
what mode to such antennas actually operate?
G3KEV also wrote:
...>I have never missed any DX signals by not having one.

Ahh, but how would you know? You can't prove the negative... Maybe that 
prime DX station was calling, calling, calling, but to no avail due to your 
deaf antenna ;-)
Cheers, Jim Moritz
73 de M0BMU