Topband: insulated vs:bare radial wires

[Herb Schoenbohm]

Gene Smar wrote:
> Jim:
>
>      Insulated wire is more durable than bare in radial applications.  
>
>      As for the velocity factor thing, forget it.  Once the wire, bare or 
> otherwise, is in contact with earth, the capacitance of the wire to earth 
> swamps out any transmission line features of the wire.  So you can even 
> shorten the radials and add more of them.  
I use insulated wire radials which after a few months disappear into the 
grass....I tack down the wires with large spikes along the way with a 
single turn of the insulated wire. Yet  I have always wondered if there 
is any benefit in making an actual earth connection to the end of the 
radial with a short rod (whatever the radial length  may be) or should 
that be avoided with ROG installations as it would seem to mitigate the 
capacitor effect.  But if we are talking about current distribution 
would not earthing the ends be a benefit?

Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ