Topband: Radial Plate

[Thomas Giella KN4LF]

Dick W4NTG Asked:

 Who makes a good radial plate...I have found one that is made of aluminum
but concerned about dissimilar metal corrosion over time...probably brass
would be best...or stainless steel...any ideas... Dick W4NTG....


 Thomas KN4LF Says:
  I made my own using four 3" wide x 2' long copper flashing strips,
purchased at Lowes. I arranged them in a square bolted and then soldered
them together with a 150 watt iron. I drilled holes in the strips and bolted
the ground radials to it. I put it down on July 1st 2003 with grass totally
growing over it by August 1st. BTW I tacked my radials to the ground surface
with clothes hanger wire strips cut and shaped into an inverted V (^) shape,
grass has now covered them too. I use #12 stranded double coated house wire,
with both ends sealed against the weather. Guess in a sense it is a
counterpoise. Radial wires put down in this manner at a previous QTH back in
1989 are still there today!

73,
Thomas F. Giella
Space & Atmospheric Weather Forecaster
C/S KN4LF
4208 Thackery Way
Plant City, FL, USA 33566
EL87WX

KN4LF 160 Meter Amateur Radio Resources & More:
http://www.kn4lf.com/kn4lf.htm






---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free Thanks To Grisoft AVG.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.512 / Virus Database: 309 - Release Date: 8/19/2003