[TenTec] Radials

[Bill Tippett <btippett@alum.mit.edu>]

DJ0IP wrote:
>And once again, the question of 30x 1/4 vs 60x 1/8 wavelength radials
remains unanswered.  (for 160 meters I believe...de W4ZV)

        And the answer is:

30 * 0.25 * 538' = ~4000' of wire

Looking at Figure 3 on page 3 here:
http://www.ncjweb.com/k3lcmaxgainradials.pdf

the optimum number of radials for ~4000' of
total wire is 30-40 assuming average soil.
Therefore the answer to your question is:


30 1/4 radials has about 0.2 dB less loss than
60 1/8 radials.  Will you ever notice the
difference?  I doubt it.


        There is also a simple guideline in ON4UN's
book which says there is no need for any space
between radials to be closer than ~0.015 wavelengths.
This is all covered in great detail in Chapter 9
of the most recent Low Band DX-ing.

                                        73,  Bill  W4ZV