[BC] Smallest AM Radiator

[Gary Peterson]

" Gary,
   Were they using a folded unipole or series feed?  If it was a series
feed, yep the coverage would have been terrible. They should have used a
unipole for that application, and then they would have found the coverage
would have been much better. Sounds like to me the radials didn't do you
much good lying over the rock.  The antenna would have been great with a
unipole and a counterpoise ground system.
Scott "

The Custer AM tower was series fed.  I believe the "poopy" coverage was due
to being high on the dial and very poor ground conductivity in the locality.

Personally, I have doubts that a folded unipole feed would have done
anything to improve their situation, given all other factors remained the
same.  In 1979, I took measurements on a 1340 kHz, class IV before and after
installation of a folded unipole.  Within experimental error, the field
intensity was virtually the same, before and after, at several carefully
selected locations.  It didn't solve the static buildup problem either.  The
tower was tied directly to the radial system with three 4" copper straps.
The folded unipole feed came through a steatite bowl insulator in the wall.
You wouldn't want to be anywhere near it during a thunderstorm.  Much more
spitting, hissing, arcing and balls of fire flying than I have ever seen on
a series-fed.  There was a static drain choke from the folded unipole feed
to ground, too.

Gary, K?CX
Rapid City, SD