On 10/21/2011 12:25 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote: > For RF, you want the lowest possible inductance in the ground lead since > inductance has reactance and reactance is what you do*not* want.
Yes, BUT -- the principal function of the EARTH connection is lightning safety. With any antenna that loads like a long wire and ends in the shack, the "ground" wire is part of the antenna unless it has been decoupled from the "ground" wire by a lot of radials that end in the shack. Further, the other end of that wire goes to lossy earth, and the equivalent resistance of the earth connection reduces the power that gets radiated -- UNLESS there are radials. Bottom line -- low inductance is important for lightning safety, but it's primary effect on behavior of a long wire antenna (including inverted L, Tee vertical) is to lengthen the antenna a bit and add loss. And yes, the braid of coax makes a nice ground conductor. 73, Jim K9YC ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
