On 9/4/2017 8:52 AM, Bob Shohet, KQ2M wrote:
It’s not an issue. There is even less chance of this happening if you use pvc
coated wire as I do (rather than bare wire).
YMMV. I haven't started a fire, but one end of a 160M dipole was
scorched where it had made intimate contact with the green part of the
redwood that supported it. Remember that the ends of most antennas are
high voltage points, so are more likely to arc over and do that. And if
that happens when the vegetation is quite dry, you could have a wildland
fire.
Soon after moving here, I experimented with loading a top-loaded
vertical on 80M that was nearly a half wave on that band, matching it
with an inductor and capacitor. The capacitor was a short open length of
RG8 laying on the ground. Because it was close to a half wave, it was
also a high voltage point After transmitting for a while at legal limit,
I came out to adjust it, and found dry grass around the end of the coax
very close to combustion.
Others (W8JI, for one) have cautioned about the need to insulate the
ends of radials.
73, Jim K9YC
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