In these several years of discussion and learning about AM antenna systems and the limiting factor of poor ground conductivity, I have stood in respect of the scholared radio engineers we're so lucky to enjoy at this website, while accepted their pronouncement that the laws of physics are set and the best discoveries in antenna performance have been known for almost a century.
Yet a part of the brain has reserved belief that there is something else to be found; a breakthrough idea; a eureka invention. Tonight the lightbulb lit.
I call it "ground biasing," and the idea is an upside down variant of what is known as "tape bias" from the days of magnetic recording tape. What is tape bias?
Tape bias is a steady sine-wave signal fed to the record head at a frequency above the audible range, to avoid being heard as a whistle when the tape plays back. A frequency of 100kHz would be typical, and the purpose of this constant signal is to excite the magnetic particles on the tape as it rolls by causing them all to align in the same direction, dramatically reducing distortion experienced with no bias. Tuning the bias to a proper level reminds us of the class-E tuning of the AMT5000, because tape bias is set so that audio level going onto the tape peaks, but minimum distortion occurs not at peak, but a little bit past peak.
To achieve ground biasing we foresee injecting a steady sine wave tone at a frequency below the audio spectrum. Why so? For one thing, we don't want to hear this as a "hum" on the transmitter's modulated signal, but the lucky second reason is that earth resonance resides down low, around 8Hz, a fact exploited by the Navy with ELF (Extra Low Frequency) buried antennas for sending radio signals to submarines submerged in the ocean. The ELF signal excites the magnetic corridors of the earth and travels thousands of miles in earth and water.
By "exciting" a set of AM ground radials at around 8Hz, we anticipate a marked improvement in antenna/ground conductivity. This should increase antenna efficiency by "N," to employ John WXCD's unknown number figure.
Even if it doesn't work, think of it, we can sell thousands of 8Hz Bias Generators and move to New Zealand where 1 Watt FM awaits.
All joking aside, my invention of ground bias will be my creed whether it works or not.
And now this leads me back to my thoughts about unused radio spectrum using the "negative" frequencies.
Negative radio frequencies are negative in time, but could be accessed by simply sending radio waves faster than light waves.
Perhaps the reason I am not taken seriously about my Ground Bias Proposal is because I joked around a little bit during my presentation.
The technical papers of Albert Einstein or Major Edwin Armstrong never included jokes, so they are taken very seriously.
But I actually think my Earth Bias idea might work to improve the performance of medium wave radial grounded antennas, and I intend trying the idea.
I need help with a special requirement that I'm not sure how to arrange.
The 8Hz Bias Frequency needs to be injected only into the ground radials and kept from entering the modulation path or the RF antenna output. Once I solve that part I have my tube Layfayette audio generator ready to supply 8Hz.
Make sure your old AF generator is safe.
You know how old vacumm tube equipment can be
with leaking 120 VAC showing up on the cabinet, or
output jacks, or whatever.
A few years ago, I blew up a really good HF RF preamplifier
because I tried to connect it to an old vacuum tube
regen receiver. ZZZZZZZT! And it's gone. Don't
fry YOURSELF either! We have all come close to doing that.
I haven't read enough about what you are trying to do.
I can see 8 cycles per second going pretty pretty far in
the ground. Well, maybe (???) I don't know. How will
this effect the much higher RF frequencies you are working with?
Oh well. I'll read about it some more, above again, and maybe
somewhere else.
Again, please don't fry yourself. I still want to listen to KDX radio on-line.
Especially Blare-On-Air. I want to hear the yard noises and the
dude in the restaurant some more. Oh yeah, I know you don't like barking
dogs - but I've heard them in the background of KDX radio a
few times.
Also, you know what I mean when I mention the "Ïnternet building" which
is pictured on the KDX website. How do you all fit into that teeny little building?
Bruce, DOGRADIO
The Internet Building was scaled around the AMT5000, which of course is not as large as say a Gates or Collins transmitter.
The warning about old tube voltage equipment is a good reminder to be careful and not light up which could put me on Venus.
The dogs live next door and bark at one category of thing which I will now list for you:
1.) Things that move.
That is what they bark at.
I just thought of a test broadcast I might do tonight.
"This is station KDX testing and we would appreciate an e-mail to tell us how well you are hearing us... the e-mail address is !!SIZZLE SPUT POOF ZZZZZ CACK!!"
On the other hand..you might want to go to Venus, I hear the women are really hot there..
If we started importing Venusian women back to earth would we be human traffickers?