>
> As you progress, neighbors may ask about that spoke pattern on your
> property. Make up a story about space aliens or satellite experiments.
>
> I use smaller wire, #18-22 insulated copper, obtained usually at flea
> markets or industrial closeouts. Plan ahead. Buy it when you see it,
> not after you need it.
>
> INK N4OO
>
My lot is very different. It's not densely vegetated. More like forest,
with sparse vegetation. I use smaller, insulated wire, and have found
a very easy way to lay the wires close to the ground. All I need is a
short length of pipe about 1-1/2 feet (~0.5m) long. The pipe is
fairly thick wall, about 1/8-1/10 inch (2-1/2 to 3mm). This makes the
pipe just heavy enough to do the job.
I connect the end of the wire to my copper hub after threading it
through the pipe. Then I kick the pipe along the ground with my foot.
(If I were laying a lot of wire, I'd add a handle attachment to it)
Because the wire is so light, orientation doesn't matter at the
beginning. The pipe forces the wire along whichever radial line I
kick the pipe along. It ends up close enough to the ground for my
purposes.
The wires are usually covered and slightly under ground within one
year. I don't bother with stakes or staples. I always use a high
setting on my lawnmower, around 2-1/2 to 3 inches (6.3-7.6cm) cut.
Only very rarely have I wrapped one of them around the mower blade.
This has probably been due to deer tripping over them and pulling
up low 'loops' of wire. It has really not been a problem. I like
finer wire, as it is more likely to break under these circumstances,
rather than yanking my hub out of place. I will use any size or
type of wire except coax, however, as long as it is cheap.
I stop at around 50-60 radials. Lengths vary. I don't bother with
neat geometric shapes- it's more about trying to keep the wires as
straight as possible while curving them around tree trunks and
other obstacles.
73, David K3KY
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