You wrote:
In article ,
Bill Horne wrote:

According to Wikipedia
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near_Ve...dence_Skywave), a
horizontally-polarized NVIS antenna will benefit from a ground wire
underneath it.
[snip]

Since I've never heard of anyone doing this, or seen any hams trying it,
I'd like to hear from those who've done it, and find out if the gain is
as predicted.

We used a configuration of that principal, for years, when doing
communications for the Ididarod DogSled Races out in the bush
of Alaska. Put up a Dipole for 80 Meters, strung between the trees,
and then ran a Grounded Wire, directly under the Dipole, that was 3%
longer, electrically. Increased our ERP for Short Range Comms.
Typical Ranges were from 120-500 Miles. KL7BB can give you any details,
you could require, if you can track Crazy Bill down......


What puzzles me is the ground: I don't understand why such a wire would
function as anything but, well, ground. I understand that it's a
parasitic reflector if not grounded (has anyone tried this?), but I
don't get the reason for the ground.

BTW, is it grounded at both ends?

73,

Bill W1AC


--
Bill Horne

(Remove QRM from my address for direct replies.)