Antenna Tutorial or Antennas in a Mote

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Wonderful information in this forum!  Question on polarity: Would inverting an antenna by 180 degrees matter?  The shape of the toroid distribution from a monopole antenna seems to suggest it does not matter.  But I think the orthogonal electric and magnetic components of the transmitted wave will be flipped. 

I have motion detectors around the house hung from the soffits so the antennae hang like plum-bobs pointed to the center of earth, the only practical direction that remains.  But my base station antenna points, in reverse, to the sky. 

A test in the field would be my next step - but it would help to know the theory. 

(Edit: I tested the idea - I get better reception with both transmiting and recieving in the same orientation, perpendicular to the center of earth, open-end down.)

[Felix]

It will depend on the antennas orientation and polarization.
But yes what you describe sounds about right and reasonable. Best to always experiment and find the sweet spot!