Topband: Strange resistance between Beverage ground rods

[Jon Zaimes]

As I recall mine are typically in the hundreds of ohms or low thousands, never as high as 
20k, even on a 950 ft wire.

I do see large variations of these across my 12 acres, even significantly different readings on each wire in a staggered phased pair.

We have two different soil types, which may be a factor.

My ground rods are typically 3-5 feet, and water table is usually a few inches deep or less.

73/Jon AA1K


Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 15, 2016, at 9:20 AM, Herbert Schoenbohm <herbs at vitelcom.net> wrote:
> 
> I have reflection transformers at the end of every two wire Beverages which I try to test by measuring the wires on the feed end. I remove the transformer from the two wire WD1-A and check the resistance between the two wires which tells me that through the reflection transformer I have continuity. It measures about 40 ohms wire to wire, this is done when I notice any performance change of the antenna. Now come the next test that baffles me completely.  When I measure from either wire to my ground rods alone, to see what the return resistance is, I get reading in the vicinity of 20K  across the 900 foot run.    I understand that if the reading was very low it would defeat the whole Beverage principle.  But is 20K Ohms reasonable, very good, or marginal?  I use three foot foot rods at either end and when I pull one out yesterday before moving it the bottom 1/4 was moist and muddy. That Southern end of several reversible Beverages  is located about 100 feet or less from a salt marsh or salt pond.  I also have to such antennas made up of ladder line a DX Engineering components.  They all appear to be working well even though large grass has reach and covered portion of some of them.
> 
> But my question is what is a reasonable or good return ground resistance for a 600' or 900' Beverage.  I haven't found any sources of information expect the saying that the higher Resistance the better. Is this correct?
> 
> Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ
> 
> _________________
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