I have a couple of those here, about 150 feet long and they have
at times surprised the heck out of me.
My best one is made with very fine wire...2 strands of #26 I think
it is, maybe #24, telco "crosscut" wire it was. It is about 150
feet long and has given better results than those I have had made
with heavier wire. My reference is a K9AY loop, which I have been
using for years. Soil conductivity here is about as bad as it gets.
I have to replace the wire every year or so when something breaks
it.
All the BOG's have very low signal output, require braid breakers
to keep the power line away, and fail to work at all if the ground
is snow covered or very wet.
I have a theory: I think the fine wire works better because of less
capacity to the soil.
I also think that if the fine wire were installed in a plastic tube,
say thin-walled water tubing, the things would work even better.
That would put the wire, on average, say a half-inch above ground. I
have never tried that design, but maybe I will some day.
de K8RYU
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Stew Perry Topband Distance Challenge coming on December 29th.
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