Topband: Fw: Shortened Radial Experiments

[Eddy Swynar]

Hi Guys,

The "issue" of ground radials, velocity factor of radials placed atop the ground, buried below the ground, etc. etc. is surely one that will NEVER come to anything even remotely resembling any modicum of "acceptability" to everyone...

My advice...? Just lay down whatever you can afford to lay down both physically, as well as financially---and get on the air without asking for any expert guidance, or "wise words" from any of the gurus (who seem to be constantly lurking in the wings, "solutions looking for problems"...!).

For several years here I was most fortunate, I think, in being able to work the Topband world with my 3-element phased extended inverted "L" array---and all I used for a ground plane was 24 insulated copper wire beneath each "L", laid atop the lawn.

And that was it!

I enjoyed making no end of global QSOs with that array, & marvelling at its audible directional effects on select stations---until the ice storm of December 2013, that marked the demise of several trees holding the affair aloft here, and putting an end to my Topband adventures.

As the Nike commercial says, don't ask, "JUST DO IT!" 

~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ