Topband: Radial ideas for a small yard

[doktorij at bellsouth.net]

A trick that I have used that is not pretty, but works, is aluminum foil. You can cover a very good area of ground effectively and cheaply with a few rolls. Obviously, this is only temporary and YMMV if you're in a windy location. Snow helps, sand will work as well, or wad it up some to add some "weight".

One may also find aluminum gutter mesh in some hardware or farm supply stores. It's more expensive, but easier to tie down to the ground. I've only seen 20' lengths of this, you may be able to find longer.

These are two ways of making the area directly under the base of a vertical or L have less loss for RF.

I've used just hose clamps to a ground rod and an aluminum plate to tie these to the coax.

We had new shingles and roof vents this year. The old ridge vents were formed sheet aluminum. I'm planning on adding some drainage holes to these and burying them under the vertical on my "weak" side, were radials are only 20 to 30' long. Have to dig the area up anyway...

My radial system is very lopsided, but I'm definitely better off than many. I can get about 90 to 120 degree area covered with up to 90 foot radials, but the rest ranges from 10' to 30 or so.

73,
Julius
n2wn