Richard Fry wrote:
On Jan 1, 11:21 am, wrote:
I haven't really given this much thought, but seems to me the
low angle radiation that does reach the ionosphere and would
be useful for very long ranges would be considered the lower angles
of the space wave, and would be separate from the ground or surface
wave...

I totally agree. That is the point I have been trying to make:
radiation from low elevation angles is not attenuated virtually to
zero before it reaches the ionosphere.

RF

I'm completely confused about the point you were trying to make. You
called NEC results "misleading" when showing only "far field" (sky wave,
without surface wave) results, and implied that the surface wave must be
considered when determining skip performance. Are you now agreeing that
it correctly shows the amount of radiation at low angles which is
capable of reaching the ionosphere? If so, what's misleading about it?
Or are you saying that the field strength capable of reaching the
ionosphere at low angles is greater than NEC "far field" (sky wave)
analysis reports? And if so, how much greater and why?

Roy Lewallen, W7EL