Tom:
Electrically it doesn't make a difference whether the wire's insulated
or not. Mechanically, the insulation gives you a significant degree of
protection against corrosion and eventual disappearance of the radial wire.
I've used both. I had bare copper-clad steel #18 for a Hygain vertical
at this QTH. It lasted for a few years. We added on to the house and I had
expected the contractor would have dug up all that wire but not a spec was
left in the ground. OTOH, I've had about a half mile of insulated wire of
various gauges in the ground for my inverted L for six years now and, save
for the inevitable lawn mower snag, it's all still there. (Well, what I
pulled up to relocate was still there and in one piece.)
73 de
Gene Smar AD3F
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Champlin" <w0hh@msn.com>
To: "Towertalk" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, December 22, 2003 7:24 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Ground radials
Did any one ever decide which was best, bare wire radials or insulated. I
have several thousand feet of #14 stranded with insulation. I also have a
few hundred feet of #6 bare copper. Does it matter which is used? This will
go under a Big SteppIR vertical next spring. I want to wring everything out
of this antenna that I can.
Thanks,
Tom W0HH
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
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_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather
Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
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