In article ,
"Pete Bertini" wrote:

define "rf ground".

Something that provides a counterpoise for an unbalanced feedline
situation that doesn't result in RF energy being wasted to heat
earthworms, soil, etc. and radiates RF energy efficiently.

the ground radiates? that's interesting.

so the raised radials on my 80m 4-square would be considered an rf
ground?

I would consider them to be an effective RF ground at their 1/4
wave resonant points, just as would a tuned artificial RF ground
used for stations at elevated locations.

Pete

Actually, a "GOOD" RF Ground will exhibit a very LOW Impedance across a
broad Frequency Spectrum, and NOT just at any single Frequency.... When
designing an RF Grounding System for a particular Site/Antenna System,
it is almost as important to know the Frequencies, and Bandwidths, to be
transmitted on, as it is to know the practical design of the Antenna
itself. Earth Conductivity has a much smaller effect than most folks
think.