how do 99's and 2000's work without ground radials ?

[BOOTY MONSTER]

most omni antennas have 3 or 4 ground radials on them . how do 99's and 2000's get by without them . do they use the coax shield or the mast or nothing at all ?

 

[W5LZ]

Typically, they use the feed line or a metal mast as the 'other' half of the antenna. All antennas have to 'work against' something, no way around that. Lots of things the 'other half' can be. I know that can be confusing, not exactly the clearest explanation. Never said I was a good 'explainer'. Sorry...
- 'Doc

 

[bioman]

how do 99's and 2000's work without ground radials ?





not as well as an antenna WITH radials <IMHO>

 

[Beetle]

1/4 wave verticals absolutely require radials or a counterpoise of the same length. Other iterations of the vertical (1/2 wavelength, 5/8 wavelength, .64 wavelength - which is suspiciously close to 5/8) and so on MAY benefit from radials or counterpoises, depending on their actual feedpoint locations, matching devices, etc.

 

[949Jake]

There is an impedance matching system on the bottom of the antenna (Those things you move to adjust SWR). It acts like a tuner at the feed point of the antenna that matches to your coax's 50 ohm impedance.

Remember the ground plane kits for the A99s? Theoretically, I would think they would help with TVI and such, but not so much for performance. Without radials, the antenna is still getting "full power" and it is still a 1/2 wave antenna at CB. The antenna system is not changing much in the way of performance with the addition of ground radials.