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Re: Topband: Deployable radials for 80/160M

To: <herbs@vitelcom.net>, <topband@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: Deployable radials for 80/160M
From: "Carl" <km1h@jeremy.mv.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 20:00:21 -0400
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
As the number of radials increases from the basic 4 the wire gauge can be reduced. With 16+ radials #18 is fine for RF current splitting and longevity; I dont use bare wire for any radials which are elevated or buried and on ground in the past.

Carl
KM1H


----- Original Message ----- From: "Herb Schoenbohm" <herbs@vitelcom.net>
To: <topband@contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2014 3:46 PM
Subject: Re: Topband: Deployable radials for 80/160M


I found a great source for radial wire at home Depot where they have 100' rolls of 14-2 packaged for under $40. Two conductors are insulated and one of course is not after the easy job of striping them across a bench jig or simple having a second person hold a pocket knife while you pull the conductors apart you end up with 300 feet of higher quality ground radial material. 2 each 100 foot insulated radials due to the VF are very close to 1/4 wave consideration and the the shorter 100 foot bare doesn't hurt either. This of course brings up the issue of mixing bare and insulated wire in any ground system so I use the bare conductor for other 80 and 40 verticals. Yet the sum of the three wires is cheaper than buying them individually it seems.


Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ



On 6/24/2014 2:57 PM, Jeff Woods via Topband wrote:

I've been doing the same thing with similar wire for several years. It works. Some of my radials are even salvaged from Cat 5 cable - pretty thin, but they do the job. I've found they are much more rugged when deployed as twisted pairs though.

Lately, I've been supplementing the radials with rolls of 2 to 3 ft. wide by 50 ft long chicken wire. The stuff is about $5 a roll at the farm supply store. I'll be trying it out on 80m for field day next weekend - just 6 to 8 rolls as a radial system for an HF6V multi-band vertical. It deploys easily and rolls up quickly.

-Jeff / W0ODS

________________________________
From: rich kennedy via Topband <topband@contesting.com>
To: "topband@contesting.com" <topband@contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2014 11:23 AM
Subject: Topband: Deployable radials for 80/160M


Hello, I'm now able to use a couple acre parcel for a new 80/160M shorty vertical (80'); however, I can use this land only between Nov and May.

For radials I'm intending on using a #22 stranded hookup wire, 300v and wondering if this particular wire would be suitable for spooling out the ~90 foot radials then respooling them up several months later. Expected power = 1KW; Number of radial ~ 40. Any hints appreciated.


73, Rich, K3VAT
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