"Nate Bargmann" wrote
Honest question, does it matter whether the objective is a
strong ground wave as in AM broadcast or skywave as in
amateur operation?
______

Hi, Nate -

The skywave is important not only to amateur operators, but even more so to
the nighttime coverage of stations designated by the FCC as Class A AM
broadcast stations (the former "clear channel" stations).

However a poor r-f ground system for a vertical monopole radiator will
reduce the radiated field at ALL elevation angles including those producing
a useful skywave-- not just in the horizontal plane producing the ground
wave.

RF http://rfry.org