Hi Sylvan,
I believe that you should leave the enamel on the wire except for
the end(s) where you need to make an electrical connection to your
system. Here is MY OPINION of why:
1. The only reason bare wire is specified for AM BC stations is that it
is cheaper than enamel wire.
2. The reason to bury of a radial system is so that you can mow the
law to keep the XYL happy. An ideal system would be on short posts
insulated from the earth. (Ground rods at the tower take care of
lightning ground.)
3. The enamel will not harm the effectiveness of a properly installed
system. If you have acid soil, then enamel will lengthen the life of the
radial system. In acid soil, any buried electrical connections
should be protected by some sort of coating.
4. As an aside, if one uses enamel wire for an antenna, the enamel
should be remain (except at connections) to protect against acid
rain. The RF radiation doesn't "see" the enamel.
73, Dick Wilder, K3DI, Arnold, MD
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Dick's lifetime address is k3di@arrl.net
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