Topband: active antenna height

[Richard (Rick) Karlquist]

On 8/29/2016 1:56 PM, Gary Smith wrote:
> As to my question; I'll order the tubing from DXE and will make the
> elements 23' tall.
>
> a K9AY in that area and I had to try at least 10 times to find a
> place to pound in a 4' ground rod most of the way down and even then,
> I had about a foot left to go when I hit stone and the rod started
> bending.

Just use radials running along the surface of the ground

> Since it is critical the elements be placed in the proper positions,
> I've given it a lot of thought and am leaning towards fastening two
> boards in a + pattern, figuring some way of anchoring the antenna to
> the center and putting rocks on each leg to hold it in place in the
> winds on the coast and put screen underneath to act as a capacitively
> coupled ground.

If you calculate the mechanics of that arrangement, you find
that it takes a rather amazing amount of weight to keep the
structure from being blown over in even 60 MPH winds.
Four 30 gallon garbage cans filled with water or rocks might
fill the bill.

Rick N6RK