Foundations of Amateur Radio

Recently I read a comment a fellow amateur made about an antenna. He said: "Of course, that antenna is a compromise..."

Let me say that again: "That antenna is a compromise ..."

It was the funniest thing I'd seen all week and the person making the statement wasn't even trying to be funny.

Unless you're looking at the Sun from a distance, or checking out the propagation associated with the Big Bang, All Antennas are a compromise. We can prove that an isotropic antenna, one that is a theoretical point source of radio waves, cannot actually exist, so that basically means that you cannot have it all, ever.

Once you've got your head around the notion that no such thing as a perfect antenna actually exists, or can exist, it makes sense that amateurs around the world spend so much time discussing and trialling antennas.

As you get involved in Amateur Radio, you'll soon realise that the number of variables to construct an antenna is large. The more you learn, the more variables you unearth. Initially, you'll learn that the length of the radiator will determine the resonant frequency, then you'll learn that the thickness affects this, then whether or not there is insulation, what material it's made from, how high it's off the ground, what soil type there is, what's nearby, how it's fed, where it's fed, if it's stranded or solid, not to mention shape, orientation, frequency and other variables you'll unearth along the discovery process.

The take-away should be that playing with antennas, while not immediately satisfying, is a fundamental part of this hobby. It's the final link in the chain and the single largest influence on the effectiveness of our station.

In all this, I've just looked at the physics of the antenna, but other variables also come into play. The amount of actual space you have available, the depth of your wallet, the availability of materials, the feedback from your neighbours or your local council, your family and their acceptance of your crazy pursuit. Patience and propagation also take a large chunk of the pie.

Is there the ultimate antenna? Yup. It's an isotropic antenna and it cannot exist. Everything else is up for grabs. So what ever works for you is good. Compare your efforts with your fellow amateurs and ask questions. Duplicate other efforts, trial stuff, make noise, get on air and see what happens.

A popular metaphor, that an infinite number of monkeys, banging on an infinite number of typewriters, left to their own devices, sooner or later will reproduce the works of William Shakespeare.

It's like that with amateur radio. We just evolved to play with antennas, rather than typewriters.

I'm Onno VK6FLAB