Topband: Coax Shield vs. Ground & elevated radials

[W2pm at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/29/2006 10:11:06 PM Eastern Standard Time,  
w8ji at contesting.com writes:

With  elevated radials near earth there can be a dB or more 
FS reduction when  the feedline shield is not decoupled.

This says nothing about the  unwanted coupling of noise into 
the antenna, or RF into other devices  close to the feedline 
or operated from the power line.

73, Tom  



I have a pea-shooter station and this is 100% true. When I ran elevated  
radials on my Inv L with 800 watts - I had a very poor QSO hit rate without the  
choke baluns - and I purposely tested this by going out and bypassing  them.  
Couldn't make a Q without them - with them in  - no problem 90%  of time.  Now 
with 30 or so on-ground radials I still have them in line (2  - 50 bead 
covered coaxes) but they are likely not needed as my feedline is 150  ft buried coax 
into the shack.