Topband: Beverage grounds

[Larry Molitor]

At 04:15 AM 2/25/02 +0000, Donald Chester wrote:

>I would like to hear from anyone with experience with the methods of 
>grounding beverages (ground rod, radials or both).  I started out with 
>mine using ground rods only.  Later, added seven 10' radials to each end, 
>connecting them to the existing ground rods.  I don't notice much, if any 
>difference, but the comparison is highly subjective since I didn't try 
>instant A/B comparisons with/without radials.  Just wonder if anyone has 
>tried this, and what were their observations.

Don,

FWIW:

Over the last thirty years, I have constructed about 18 beverages of 
various configurations at three different QTH's. A lot of them were not 
worth the effort to put together. It may be coincidence, but not one 
beverage I used radial grounds on ever worked right. The QTH that required 
radials was on solid rock with a thin layer of decomposed granite on top. 
Rods in the ground were not only a joke, they were impossible. The terrain 
was also very rough with over 40 foot of irregualrities due to dry washes 
and outcropings.

At the present QTH, my soil is very conductive and wet most of the time due 
to flood irrigation. A 1/4 inch diameter brass rod driven two feet into the 
earth provides a nearly perfect beverage ground as best I can measure.

If grounds are a problem, I might suggest an array of two flags or 
pennants. It works about as well as a 550 foot beverage, takes up a lot 
less real estate, and doesn't require any grounds at all.

Good luck,

Larry - W7IUV