Re: mobile antenna ground loss

Jim Lux <james.p.lux@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:esi25i$bll$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

I would suggest that for the purposes of rough and ready estimation,
and considering the measurement uncertainty from most ham measuring
gear, you could estimate the radiation resistance of an 8ft long
mobile antenna without a tophat at being about 25-30 ohms for 10m, 5.5
ohms for 20, 1.5 ohms for 40, and 0.4 ohms for 75/80. Probably close
enough with about 1.5 significant digits accuracy.

Are those figures for an unloaded vertical?

Ed was talking 80m, and if your 0.4 is for an unloaded vertical, it is
probably about 50% higher for a centre loaded vertical, so ~0.6ohms, and
that sounds reasonable.

Ed still needs to quantify the equivalent loss resistance of the stuff
above the feedpoint, and that will depend principally on the loading
coil, but likely to be in the range 5 to 20 ohms. Measurement in situ of
total feedpoint R (which is mainly loss resistances above and below the
feedpoint in this case) isn't so hard (as I described) and probably
better than an estimate.

Ed, it seems to me that in comparing similar resonant (80m) loaded
verticals, the one with the worst VSWR (direct fed at the base) is
probably the most efficient one. This implies that the antennas that are
advertised with a low direct feed VSWR are less efficient, they pad the
antenna with lossy loading to improve the VSWR.

Owen
.

Relevant Pages

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