2018 Albuquerque Duke City Hamfest/ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Convention

The magic of radio happens when we couple RF into the fabric of spacetime. We do that with an antenna. These devices are simultaneously simple and complex. It’s easy to get lost in the theory or fooled by the latest anecdote. Let’s look at what’s important in antenna choice and design. There are things that matter more than others, and it’s never perfect. And a bit of theory will guide us. Radiation resistance, loss, pattern gain, terrain, polarization, coupling, loading - they all play a role. Join me to find out what happens and what matters when we put a wire in the air.