Jerry Martes wrote:
"I`d like to get some "real life" data."

End effect on dipoles and monopoles has little do with comparitive
performance. See Cebik. It`s more associated with where the antenna is
with respect to ground, and how fat or slim the conductors are.

Jerry also wrote:
"I want to understand (see) what kind of pattern I`m getting from an
antenna I made for Weather Satellite (137 MHz) reception."

That might be for the NOAA polar orbiters. On page 19-8 of the 19th
edition of the ARRL "Antenna Book" is a section on Antennas for
Satellite Work. Circular polarization is considered ideal. A couple of
NOAA polar orbiting satellites are active and others may be functioning
as backups. Active NOAA orbiters may fly high over the horizon a couple
of times a day, so you need a program to tell you where, when, and how
high above the horizon the flyover will occur. Some are available at no
cost, I hear. 15 minutes of visibility, 7 minutes coming and 7 minutes
of going may be available on a pass.

On page 19-10 of the "Antenna Book" are shown the patterns of individual
dipoles and as used together as an omnidirectional turnstile.

The quadrifilar helix is also considered good as a weather satellite
receiving antenna. This antenna is shown on page 292 of J.D. Kraus`
third edition of "Antennas for All Applications" in Figure 8-67.

No need for concern about the pattern obtained from folded dipoles if
you are OK with the pattern of an ordinary open-circuit dipole. They are
exactly the same. The difference is only in the inherent impedance
transformation of the folded antenna, dipole or monopole. That`s it.
Antenna catalogs list gain as 0 dBd for open-circuit dipole, folded
dipole, ground plane, or folded monopole. Patterns shown are the same
for open-circuit and folded dipoles. Patterns shown for a folded
monopole are identical with those shown for an open-circuit monpole
(ground plane).

One catalog lists a thin-wire common dipole as having 34% bandwidth and
a 60-ohm feed resistance. The folded dipole has a 45% bandwidth and a
300-ohm feedpoint because it is fatter and folded. The pattern plots are
identical.

Enjoy your EZNEC. The resuts it should prduce on ordinary and folded
dipoles are already published in many places. Makes it easy to see if
you did the EZNEC right.

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI