Topband: Optimal radial wire type and gauge?

[Richard Fry]

>There is no magic about 120 radials, and long before 120 radials are 
>reached the increase in field strength pretty much stops.

According to the 1937 BL&E experiments and IRE paper, this depends on their 
length.

If they are short (~0.15WL), then there is little improvement in radiated 
field when going from 30 to 120 buried radials.   But that is not true when 
they are long (~0.4WL).

This is nicely summarized in the clip below from a 1947 IRE paper by Carl E 
Smith, a well-known broadcast consulting engineer.

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h85/rfry-100/GndSystemLosses_zps0b36c41e.jpg

RF