On Sat, 23 May 2009 21:45:15 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

You're reinventing the wheel. Look at photos of the original Explorer
I satellite (with Von Braun and others holding it over their heads).
There are 4 wires radiating from the tubular rocket casing forming a
circularly polarized double dipole "turnstile" antenna. Since it's
since one antenna is always visible, there's no blocking by the
missile body. Since it's circularly polarized, there's no positional
nulls and peaks.
http://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/expinfo.html

More photos:
http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/explorer/EXPLORER.html
http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/explorer/Explorer%20One%20Satellite%20Diagram.jpg


--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558