Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] horizontally polarized antennas and salt water

To: Stephen Reichlyn <Stephen.Reichlyn@ryansci.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] horizontally polarized antennas and salt water
From: Alan Zack <k7acz@cox.net>
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005 08:15:30 -0800
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
I'm not sure about the salt in the water. Maybe it does help.
When I was based in Alaska I put a simple 4BTV vert with a 80M resonator on top (guess that made it a 5BTV) into the ground behind the Quesont hut I used for a ham shack. Behind the quesont hut was a big area of what they call Muskeg. Best way to describe it is a sub arctic swamp. It was quite common in the Tongass Forest and they used wooden sidewalks to cross over it, like you see when you visit the area around Old Faithful in Yellowstone Nat Park. I think I used only a 6 or 8 ft piece of pipe that easily went into the ground, no radials at all. It really got out, much better than any dipole or inverted V I experimented with. I wasn't there long enough (one year) to put up a tower and beam. I held schedules with the Lower 48 plus with a CG Icebreaker in Antarctica no problem, plus won one ARRL DX Contest for best KL7 score. Many EU stations said I was their first KL7 contact, so it did get out good. That soft, mushy ground area was quite large, and I'm sure supplied a excellent ground plane for the simple 4BTV vert.


Stephen Reichlyn wrote:


Gentlemen and Ladies of Towertalk:


Anecdotal comments about antennas and their performance by the sea are many and sundry. I wonder if
those who have experience with this phenomena can comments on the following points:


We have all read that vertical antennas work especially well on (or near) the beach. I have first hand experience
with this and certainly agree that this is the case. I often wondered whether radials (even simple 2 wire systems)
are really needed next to salt water.


1.The ultimate question is 'what effect does the salt water have on horizontally polarized HF antennas, if qny'?

2. Do you think that tidal changes (for instance +/- 6 feet) in the near field have an effect on angle of radiation
of horizontally polarized antennas, such as yagis.


3. How far away from the ocean (in miles) do you think the near field salt water effect disappears?

4. Or do you think that salt water near field has NO effect on horizontally polarized antennas?

73,
Steve AA4V

Stephen Reichlyn
Ryan Scientific, Inc.
CALL toll-free in North America
888-884-4911
843-884-4911 ext 302
843-884-5568 (fax)
www.ryansci.com
_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk



--
__________________________________________________________________________


Alan Zack
Amateur Radio Station K7ACZ
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Quality Engineer, The Boeing Company, Retired
Aviation Chief Warrant Officer, U.S. Coast Guard, Retired
U.S. Coast Guard, Always Ready, Always There
Every hour, Every day, Around the Clock and Around the World
SEMPER PARATUS
http://www.gocoastguard.com
http://www.uscg.mil/d14/units/asbp/uscgasbp/
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>