Re: Topband: Two Wire Beverage Query...

["Donald Chester" <k4kyv@hotmail.com>]

> Assuming a person overcomes the transformer issues, what about grounds? Tom 
> suggests that grounds are critical and require rods and radials in most 
> cses.

We have average soil conductivity here.  For my beverage termitations I have 
used between 8 and 15 radials, each one 15-20 ft. long, for each ground 
termination, and seem to have good results.  That mini-radial system can be 
pre-assembled and laid down in the autumn and taken back up in the spring to 
be stored all in one piece.  Unless you have very poor soil conductivity, 
the rf isn't going to penetrate the soil very far, and a ground rod driven 
below where the rf penetrates could just as well be made of fibreglass.  I 
just lay radials on top of the ground, and if they are not taken up, they 
very soon become buried under the thatch, and eventually sod.  The latest 
addition to my beverage project doesn't even use a ground rod.

One convenient form of easily removable ground rod is a 6' screw-in anchor 
designed to hold high tensile fencing guy wires.  The power company also 
uses them to hold utility pole guy cables. They sell cheap ones at our local 
"Rural King" farmer's supply outlet.  Whether or not it is necessary, I 
always use paint remover to strip off the red paint before using one of 
these anchors as gnd rod.

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