If you are asking me Lil'Yeshua, and you are talking about Steve Yates article on EFHW Antennas...below is a copy of the email Steve sent me.
As I read the article I think Steve is suggesting the length of wire needed for a suitable return current path necessary for a resonant EFHW radiator is .05 wavelength, and that length is a far cry from a typical 1/4 wavelength at resonance we tend to think is needed.
----- Original Message -----
From: Steve Yates, AA5TB
To: Eddie - Marconi
Sent: Monday, August 12, 2013 8:33 PM
Subject: Re: Questions on the EFHW
Hi Eddie,
Thanks for the note.
I have never used a Solarcon A99 so I can't give an opinion based on experience. I have been very skeptical of all of the hype it has received ever since I first heard about it a couple of decades ago.
Below is a link the describes what is in the antenna and a reversed engineered schematic. I don't really understand reason for the circuit configuration that is used. I don't see anything that would prevent common mode currents on the coax although if operated at a frequency where the antenna is truly a half wave there may not be too much to worry about. At other frequencies where the antenna's impedance would start to drop I'd expect the currents in the shield of the coax to increase.
http://xoomer.virgilio.it/ham-radio-manuals/a99.pdf
From what I can see the antenna is no different than any other end fed half wave vertical such as a J-Pole, Ringo, etc. except for the unusual matching network that may be very lossy as the author indicates. This loss is probably what gives it the wide band response everyone seems to brag about. At 27 MHz it is possible that the coils may have enough reactance (>>Z) on their own to function as a simple broadband, high impedance transformer and therefore not need a resonating capacitor to bring the antenna coil up to many thousands of Ohms reactance (in a transformer the reactance of the windings should be at least 4 times the impedance on a given side of the transformer). However, there are capacitors of sorts in the design so I am not sure.
Sorry I can't be of more help.
Take care,
Steve - AA5TB
From: Eddie - Marconi <edromans@comcast.net>
To: Steve Yates <Steve@aa5tb.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 10, 2013 9:09 PM
Subject: Questions on the EFHW
Steve, I am Eddie Romans. I am not a Ham, but as a hobby I do try and understand antennas, and the ideas that make them work. I've read your article on EFHW's many times, and use it as a reference link from time to time. I find your ideas revealing to me.
We are discussing the Solarcon's A99, for CB, at the moment.
As noted, I have read you article on EFHW antennas, and would be curious if you have ever consider that matching design, and have a brief opinion that you could share?
My main interest is, does this design almost guarantee to manifest common mode currents unless we add radials and isolate the antenna from the support mast, or do you think the design could produce a balance similar to your idea in your article?
Thanks,
Eddie
edromans@comcast.net
