Topband: Beverage antenna ground

[Tree]

On Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 01:34:46PM -0400, Ed Swiderski, KU4BP wrote:

> I have a question to all concerning the ground stake for a Beverage. Through
> my reading I see some differnet opinions over the type and size of it. Have
> read about using standard 8-foot ground rods, then 4-foot and then 2-foot
> are OK. Also, I have seen that copper pipe of the same varying lengths and
> diameters are OK. What I would like to know is what has seemed to work best
> for you?
> 
> I put up my first Beverage last year and it has worked OK, not great but OK.
> It's a bi-directional 300ft long, 6 feet high and spaced 12 inches using
> K1FZ boxes, KB-2 and KB-3, running E-W. I have used two different grounds on
> both ends so far. A 4-foot 1/2" rod and 4-foot 5/8" copper pipe. I'm going
> to increase its length by 100 feet and was interested in knowing what some
> of you have used and what was most succesful or does it really make a
> difference.
> 
> I realize that my antenna length may not be optimal for 160 but I think
> anything will be a help.

Well - I am sure your local ground conditions probably affect how good of
a ground rod you need.

I would have to say that my ground rods are pretty poor.  Perhaps only two 
feet into the ground (three at the most).  I do probably have pretty good
ground however.  That being said - I would say my beverages work very 
well.

Tree N6TR