"Joel Kolstad" bravely wrote to "All" (06 Dec 05 09:28:55)
--- on the heady topic of " Antenna reception theory"

JK From: "Joel Kolstad"
JK Xref: core-easynews rec.radio.amateur.antenna:220898

JK "Richard Harrison" wrote in message
JK ...
Richard Clarks advice is good. Arnold B. Bailey in "TV and Other
Receiving Antennas" [,,,]

JK It's out of print, but I've requested a copy through interlibrary
JK loan. I'm curious to see what he has to say on the standard V-shaped
JK rabbit ears that have been in use for decades... although one can
JK readily simulate them and see exactly how they perform, I've yet to
JK find anyone who had a good idea as to why rabbit ears haven't
JK traditionally been oriented purely horizontally!


I think the reason why you don't see rabbit ears oriented horizontally
is that they don't seem to work well as dipoles. When standing up they
aren't even a V antenna and at first one would think they are
vertically polarized but they are somewhat directive with a bipolar
pattern. Rabbit ears are a *******ized form of a couple antenna types.

Sometimes mainly one element is responsible for most of the signal
while the other behaves as a reference or ground. For example on low
frequency channels like Ch-3, reception is best if one of the elements
is oriented straight up and the other horizontally pointing in the
direction of the transmitter. This won't work well with Ch-12 and the
standing V is best then.

A*s*i*m*o*v

.... Men are men and needs must err. - Euripides