Radiation pattern

[Captain Kilowatt]

Never said that you - or any body else - needs to do it that way. However, if one wants to optimize what they are doing and already have the resources available to make it happen; then by all means - do so. It is to your own best interest to take advantage of all of the tools available to you or to any one. Learning these things means nothing unless one can realize their value. There is certainly nothing wrong with that idea - IMO.

Once again, 10m is easier to take advantage of this factor - easier than 20m can. Mechanically, electrically, and cost wise.
Not better; certainly - just easier . . .

Wasn't picking on you Robb. Just repeating that 1 wavelength above ground thing I hear all the time. TOA is always taken at the point that the antenna exhibits maximum gain. Fine, but look at the width of the lobe. That is what counts. Many antennas with a moderate TOA of something like 20 degrees may have a broad lobe that is only 2 or 3 dB down at angles from 8-10 up to 30-35 degrees meaning it will work both long haul low angles as well as moderately high closer signals with only a half S-unit difference in signal response. TOA is one thing but the shape of the lobe is what really tells the story. The link to the eham article BJ posted above is great. Place less worry about where the point of max radiation is and worry more about where the nulls are.The nulls are FAR more important than the differences in the peaks.

Another thing to note is that once the signal leaves the antenna it is propagation that determines what the angle of arrival is. The following link discusses the operation of two specific antennas but the first part that is highlighted is worth reading and tells the whole story.


http://rfcec.com/RFCEC LESSON PLANS...pole (By Alpha Delta Communications, Inc).pdf

 

[Marconi]

I agree with CK, that is the point I was making about antennas a little lower to the Earth. More angles are better.

 

[HomerBB]

Get what you can and then quit worrying about it unnecessarily.
- 'Doc

Now I like this advice. After all, if it's there and I have the time, I work it. If it isn't, I find something else to do.
Considering the primitive nature of both my mast and my antennas I can hardly over worry myself with whether I've gotten the absolute optimum setup. If I did I'd spend all my time worrying and none of it enjoying myself.
I read to learn, and I attempt to emulate what I think I can do that may be helpful. Then I get bored and do something else that isn't as good, or I get lucky and it is better.
Regardless, I rub my best rabbit's foot every time and hope for the best wishing it was instead an Aladdin's Lamp housing a genii with unlimited wishes . . .
Great thread.