Topband: Measuring Vertical input parameters while installing radials

[Eduardo Araujo]

Hi Steve and all, 
First of all, many thanks for your words.

I will try to describe the soil but sorry if I don´t use the right English words for it.

According to my friend LU8DPM Mario, with whom I have been doing all this effort, the soil in the area is 
- Mostly organic
- PH neutral (acid level)
- water table between 2 to 3 mts

I can add it is NOT rocky hilltop or sand, it is in a plain rural area, 200 Km from the sea.
Not artificial irrigated, only by rain.

At the moment measurement were done, 2 months had passed without rain.

When we reached 54 radials level, it rains very little (1 or 2 mm) before we took the measurement. That was the only rain in the process.


I hope this help to have an idea.

All the best to all....... Eddie.- LU2DKT



________________________________
 From: Steve London <n2icarrl at gmail.com>
To: topband at contesting.com 
Sent: Friday, September 20, 2013 4:19 PM
Subject: Re: Topband: Measuring Vertical input parameters while installing radials
 

Great empirical info, Eddie.

Can you say something qualitative about your ground conditions ? For 
example, "irrigated soil", "rocky hilltop", "sand", etc.

You are doing something right - Huge signal on topband, and you also 
hear very well.

73,
Steve, N2IC

On 09/20/2013 06:31 AM, Eduardo Araujo wrote:
> Hi friends,
>                  I finished sending the measurements data to all that requested it. In case somebody didn´t receive it yet, please let me know.
>
> Even though I did not mention it before, I also have Field Strength measurement synchronized in time with the AIM measurements.
>
> As surely this was not a professional procedure, I will explain how I did it and you may judge if it is useful for you or not.
>
> - I installed 2 verticals antennas 3 mts long, at about 300-350 meters from the tower base in two opposite directions. So measurement was done at ground level.
> - I did not tuned up the elements in any way, they were connected to the FS instrument directly and as ground connection I used a 50 cm aluminum pipe buried in the ground
>
> - As a FS meter I used a DIGI - FIELD from IC- Engineering
>
> - First 2 radials were installed more or less in the direction of the RX verticals
> - From there, they were installed consecutive in counter-clock wise. (look from above)
> - I used 20W at 1840 during daylight, and matched the antenna input for every change in radial number. I used an MFJ-962B for this purpose.
> - After all readings were done, I calibrate the readings against an HP-8640B signal to visualize which was the change in db
>
> Botton line - the measured change at ground level between 2 and 114 radials was between 5.2 in one direction and 5.8 db to the other.
>
> I understand this is not a professional procedure nor professional equipment and it was done having fun enjoying the hobby.
>
> I will like to hear from you your thought about if this kind of measurement done at ground level and at that distance from the antenna base has a correlation to actual radiated Field at the maximum vertical azimuth of the vertical whichever it is.
> And, also, How the procedure or elements I used could be improved ....still within amateur measurement accuracy and not professional level.
>
>
> '73 to all..... Eddie, LU2DKT
>
>
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> From: Eduardo Araujo<er_araujo at yahoo.com>
>
> To: Topband<topband at contesting.com>
> Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2013 9:28 AM
> Subject: Measuring Vertical input parameters while installing radials
>
>
>
> Hi everyone, I recently complete the installation of +100 1/4 radials for the 1/4 vertical.
>
> I measured input vertical parameters using AIM4170 from 1600 to 2000Kc
>
> I assumed it is not something new for many of you, but I wonder if the information I collected may be of interest for some of the group members.
>
> I have available for sharing BMP or JPG images of each scan which were run at 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 60 and +110 radials. Also, I have the .scn files for each scan which could be viewed using AIM4170 SW even though you don´t have the unit.
>
>
> The good thing looking at the files using the sw is that you can move the cursor and have all the values at all fcies from 1600-2000 Kc
>
> In case someone is interested, let me know and I will see the way to share it.
>
> ´73 to everyone.... Eddie, LU2DKT
>
> PS: By the way, what a nice toy the AIM !!!, Even though I bought it more than one year ago, this is the first time I use it
> _________________
> Topband Reflector
>
_________________
Topband Reflector