So Bob, maybe taper and using longer elements are, as you suggest, a broad bandwidth technique. However, Vortek didn't use taper and still got a big gain and shows a very wide bandwidth. This does not mean that taper has NO effects...but like a lot of claims in the CB world...it turns out the effects appear to be very small.
So Bob based on this, I don't trust my models results either. However, I do question if it is the taper making the difference we see in bandwidth and gain. My model didn't use taper and it shows the broad bandwidth but the gain is less.
Vortek didn't use taper and they still reported a wide bandwidth and a big gain...so go figure.
If my model of the Mark2 showed the big gain reported...you can bet I'd be touting this new design.
My manual for the Avanti S4 and my Antenna Specialists both show the same tubing lineup for the radiator, and they both show 9 tubes from the very bottom, including the mount, to the top.
If I got this wrong Bob, hopefully DB can explain better. I have never tested or compared the idea for taper...maybe that might show a difference but I have my doubts the results would be as significant as suggested in the Mark2. IMO, I think the wide bandwidth is primarily due to the much taller basket. That is not to suggest that taper does not have an effect in this case, but if it does it would appear, at this point, to be a small difference.
Henry uses taper in some of his beam antennas. Maybe I'll model one of his beams, if I can find one that hopefully still shows the wire descriptions. Maybe then I'll have something to compare and report.
