> At the risk of offending someone somewhere, the fact that > the ARRL cites the "5% rule" without backing it up with the > analysis behind the rule doesn't really suprise me...
I had personally never seen the ARRL 5% rule printed anywhere that I can remember. > Think about it this way. If you made a dipole, would you > cut one side 5% longer than the other? Maybe, if you had a reason for offset feed... but most offset Dipoles are not 5% different. I thought the subject was about 1/4 wave ground planes and not dipoles... they are not the same animal. > Why not make the vertical radiator 5% longer, and leave > the radials exactly a quarter-wave, thereby saving on > materials? Because a quarter wave ground plane doesn't work well with a beta match that way. > You know I'm not taking a dig at you Chuck - I'm just > waiting (hoping) that someone comes up with some real > evidence to back up the 5% rule. I'll email you direct... cheers, skipp
