Yes, feeding any radiator at a voltage loop (high impedance point) eliminates the need for an RF ground return for high efficiency. After all, at a voltage loop very little current flows so there is little need for a return for ground currents to flow!
However, the rig may tend to "float" up to the same high RF voltage as the antenna, making the rig subject to "hand capacity" effects, providing RF "bites" or burns when touching equipment and, with modern solid state gear, can cause rectified RF to produce undesired results. But in that case even a relatively poor "ground" will usually tame the situation. That was the beauty of the Zeppelin antenna (the true "Zepp") A half wave radiator is end fed through 1/4 wavelength of open wire line. One side of the line connected to the radiator and the other side connected to nothing - just an insulator. Since very little current flows at the feed point, the balance in the line is still good. The 1/4 wavelength of line converted the high impedance at the radiator to a low impedance at the rig. Of course that's only true at one frequency for a given length of radiator and feed line. Ron AC7AC -----Original Message----- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Ariel Jacala Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2012 1:36 PM To: Ronald Nutter Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Counterpoise vs ground wire ? We have had great success with end fed half wave dipoles made by LNR Precision without the need for counter poise wires nor even tuners. Specifically we have used the 40-20-10 multi and version which we used for field day this year. When properly tuned at first use, the SWR have been below 1.5 for the bands it was designed for. I use it all the time with KX1 without the need for an ATU. I have made plenty of contacts into eastern Europe which is better than a 1000 miles per watt on a KX1 when used as a vertical or near vertical sloper. Google Par end fed 40-20-10 and look at the reviews on eHam. Ariel NY4G Sent from my iPad On Jul 1, 2012, at 2:50 PM, "Ronald Nutter" <ron.nut...@networkref.com> wrote: > I am putting together a portable QRP kit that I can fly on a plane > with me. Looking at several different antennas. With being a > portable operation, what has worked best for some of you to ground the > radio ? I am seeing references to some of the antennas that they need > a counterpoise wire. Is this in addition to a ground wire ? > > Ron > KA4KYI > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email > list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
