"Art Unwin" wrote
Presumably the nulls between lobes on a radiation pattern
are a result of radiation cancellation. IF this is true then it means
we have not harnessed all the radiation available.
__________

It is true, but that doesn't mean or prove that any of the TOTAL radiation
has been "lost." It has merely been re-directed to produce some maximum
value in one or more directions, and some minimum value in others.

Think of squeezing an inflated balloon. No matter what is its final shape,
the volume of air inside the balloon remains constant.

Below is a link showing this, as applies to an antenna. The area within the
directional pattern is the same as if the pattern was omnidirectional.

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...atternGain.gif

RF