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Re: [TowerTalk] 1/4 wave vertical with counterpoise

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] 1/4 wave vertical with counterpoise
From: Jim Brown <jim@audiosystemsgroup.com>
Reply-to: jim@audiosystemsgroup.com
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2026 13:49:28 -0800
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
On 1/17/2026 10:10 AM, David Gilbert wrote:
It does not need a radial system of wires to avoid loss.  It just needs an alternative path to the earth for near field return currents, and that can be had with a proper counterpoise.

NO! Radials do NOT provide a path to earth, which is a big resistor. They are a REPLACEMENT for earth as return for antenna current! A good radial system SHIELDS the antenna's EM field from lossy earth in the very near field.

In arrays like a 4-square, a good radial system serves to improve the balance between elements, with the primary effect of deepening the nulls, secondarily improving the forward gain.

73, Jim K9YC

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