Topband: Ground Rod at Radial Junction point

[Frank Davis]

The 160M antenna here is an inverted L with total wire length about =
145ft.   At present I have 12 radials on the ground of various lenghts =
50-75 ft and also 4 elevated radials that are about 6ft above ground and =
about 50 feet long each.  The antenna and the radials are made from #14 =
insulated wire.  All of these radials are bonded to a common tie point =
which is a 6 ft copper ground rod 5/8" diameter.  The  matching network =
for my inverted L is merely a series 500pf variable capacitor and it is =
in a metal weatherproof box and a copper braid runs from the ground rod =
tie point to the metal case that the cap is in.  While doing a serach =
for info on elevated radials I came across a reference on the OK1RR web =
page that came from an unknown author. This author said that a ground =
rod should not be used at the junction point of a radial system.  He =
said  that when the ground rod was not at the radial junction point of =
the anrtenna that he was using the Feild Strenght increased.!!   I =
personnally can't see why a ground rod at the tie point should impact =
negatively on the performance  and I want to know what the opions are =
out there.  Should I leave the radials bonded to the rod or =
not......anybody got any opinions on this??

Frank
VO1HP

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