Counterpoise

In my reading on ground fields in radio I came across a description of the outdated and rarely used Counterpoise:

"When an actual ground connection cannot be used because of high resistance in the soil or because of a large buried ground system is not practical, a counterpoise may be used to replace the usual direct ground connection. The counterpoise consists of a device made of wire which is erected a short distance above the ground and insulated from it. The size of the counterpoise should be at least equal or larger than the size of the antenna.
When the antenna is mounted vertically, the counterpoise should be made into a simple geometric pattern. Perfect symmetry is not required. The counterpoise appears to the antenna as an artificial ground that helps to produce the required radiation pattern."

United States Marine Corps. "Antenna Handbook." edited by Department of the NAVY. Washington D.C.: Headquarters United States Marine Corps, 1999.

Much of my work has used radio receivers that required a literal connection to the earth. As I live in an apartment on the second floor, and my studio is on the fourth level of a building, I am constantly on the look out for indoor devices or objects that act as reliable earths. Bathroom taps are reliable enough (although prone to noise), and I have been known to wire up my stainless steel coffee machine for grounding purposes. Hence the notion of a an 'artificial ground' constructed out of a few bits of wire was very appealing.

Additionally this discovery reaffirmed the fascinating way that antennas and grounds work together in radio systems. In order to intercept and tune into specific frequencies, both the antenna and ground (commonly now combined in the antenna system) act to reflect, cancel, amplify and balance electromagnetic waves using specific geometric, electrostatic, and material relationships. Similar patterns and handiwork can be found in the implementation of antenna radials.

I've even come across some Hinterding-esque counterpoise experiments...

Process

I set about making and testing my own counterpoise with instructions from the handbook. This quickly strung prototype is not much to look at, and the testing revealed no particular results in terms of clearer radio reception (I realised later the results may have been affected by using incorrect impedance on the output of the radio receiver).

However, an interesting artistic outcome came from the process of attempting to find the signal by moving the position of the antenna around the vicinity of the ground-mounted metallic shape. Over the 20 minutes or so of attempting to identify any coherence between the antenna and artificial ground via the buzzing and squealing of audio output, something seemingly unrelated occurred to me: the act of attempting to divine something from these geometric symbols was quite ceremonial. Perhaps it appeared as if I was performing some sort of black magic ritual, and that notion may not have been that far off...

Outcome / Exhibition

The exhibition potential of this work is uncertain.

I've considered creating a work in which an antenna swings like a pendulum above a ground-mounted counterpoise. The audio tunes in and out of frequencies (or more likely noise) as the antenna moves in relation to the artificial ground.

I may consider recreating the counterpoise and re-filming the 'ceremony'. There also potential for performance, should I be so inclined.