Howard Kowall wrote:
Has anyone ever tried putting a dipole antenna up with the center insulator
being a high power 50 ohm dummy load,then connecting the dipole elements
across the dummy load.

Yes. There was a commercial antenna quite a few years ago that did just
that. I think QST did a review on it. It wasn't advertised as a resistor
across the end of the coax, but they either tore the thing apart or
X-rayed it, and there it was.


This would always keep a suitable match at 50 ohms
and satisfy the transceiver. Would most of the power go to the dummy load and
not the elements and wouldn't radiate.In thinking about this it all
logically makes sense the load would really never change or would it have
some reactance with the dipole elements.

I guess, But, and hold on to your hat... 50 ohms SWR is not an
indication that an antenna works at all, much less that it works well!

Imagine where the power is going to and what it is becoming. To the
resistor, and it is becoming heat. Anything that is radiated is almost
an accident.

- 73 de Mike N3LI -