[TenTec] Radial Research

[Richards]

On 5/19/2012 8:50 AM, Bob McGraw - K4TAX wrote:

> Most studies concur that "buried radials" should not be deep but preferably
> at the surface.



		Hear, Hear !!!

		Surely the goal is the grab the RF before it can
		be absorbed by the lossy earth.

		My wife is the HUGE proponent of how they
		will be absorbed and lost in the thatch of the
		grass in about three week (tops) -  UNLESS your
		lawn service guy picks them up every week and
		replaces them when he is through mowing because
		he aims to please !


		[ Oops... probably should not have said my
			my wife is ... a HUGE... anything !
			She might not like take it in context...  ]

		;-)


Also most instillations incorporate a conductive mat at and
> around the base of a vertical radiator where the ground current is highest.


		Most ?   Only the good ones !   I think most guys
		crap out early and rationalize they only need
		6 or 8 or 16 radials, because they think it is too
		much work to lay more.

		My only regret in building my big stick is that I
		was just starting out in ham radio when I installed
		it, and I wish I had taken more scientific readings
		with antenna analyzers, or let the local Elmers
		work it over with their equipment, to provide
		more detailed evidence of how it plays with a few
		radials, to compare with how it plays with more
		radials -  most of my assessment is my subjective
		take and it would be more useful with some hard
		data.



> This supports the discussions of using more and shorter radials will be
> better than fewer but longer radials.  i.e. - 20 radials of 20 ft each will
> be better than 4 radials of 100 ft each.  In both cases, 400 ft of wire
> required.


		Hear, Hear !



-------------------------  K8JHR  -----------------------------