Topband: Radial plate

[N2TK, Tony]

Charles,
Originally I had four 1/4 wave radials at each feedpoint. The pattern was
terrible. I shortened them to 52' and put up five elevated radials at each
feedpoint. I tied the five radials together at each feedpoint and added a
coil to have minimum dumped power at 3775 KHZ. I used a current probe at the
coil of each radial. The current was now pretty much identical. The pattern
with the Comtek box improved dramatically. The system seems to work okay. 
The reasons why I want to put the radials on the ground is to make the back
yard look a little cleaner and less chance for storm damage such as when a
few branches come down from ice. 
But what I don't know is if I am giving up measureable performance going to
ground mounted radials over elevated radials.

73,
N2TK, Tony 

-----Original Message-----
From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Charles
Moizeau
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2018 7:15 PM
To: N2TK, Tony <tony.kaz at verizon.net>; Topband <topband at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: Radial plate

With in-ground, which optimally should be be so shallow as to be on-ground,
radials there's no thought or effort needed to think about them as being
anything close to the intended radiation frequency.


But with elevated radials my understanding, and it is more nonexistent than
limited because I've never tried them, is that all have to be physically
matched to one another yet tuned to the radiation frequency, and this
requirement is an extremely fiddly undertaking because there will be nearby
objects, e.g., trees, varying ground slopes, etc. that will differently
affect radials of identical physical length.


Charles, W2SH

________________________________
From: Topband <topband-bounces at contesting.com> on behalf of N2TK, Tony
<tony.kaz at verizon.net>
Sent: Sunday, July 1, 2018 5:01 PM
To: 'Carl'; topband at contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: Radial plate

Hi Carl,
One advantages of going underground. No more wires hanging up in the air. It
will look cleaner. But I do not have any idea if my signal will degrade
going with buried radials over the 5 elevated radials at each feedpoint. The
ice was brutal this past winter.
Why do you say there will be a large signal loss going from elevated to
ground radials? You got my attentions with that statement.
N2TK, Tony

-----Original Message-----
From: Carl [mailto:km1h at jeremy.qozzy.com]
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2018 3:51 PM
To: N2TK, Tony <tony.kaz at verizon.net>; topband at contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: Radial plate

Since the change to on ground radials can result in a large loss of signal
in some areas why not just invest in stronger elevated radials?

I use scrapped deep well wire from well shops which is available in #12 to 6
in this area in 2 and 3 wire insulated styles and is often free. . For the
16 160M radials up 12-15' they run over tree branches and also over fairly
open areas.

Since I live on top of  the tallest hill in the area of Southern NH  Im
exposed to everything Mother Nature can throw at me from all
directions.....ice included. Back when I used #18 & 16 it was regularly
needing repair, amd now nothing in about 12 years. It acts/handles like a
cross between soft drawn house wire and hard drawn.

#16 to12 copper clad steel is available also with and without a strong
jacket and stranded or solid..

Carl


----- Original Message -----
From: "N2TK, Tony" <tony.kaz at verizon.net>
To: <topband at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2018 9:08 AM
Subject: Topband: Radial plate


Planning on changing from elevated radials to ground mounted radials for my
80 M 4-sq. After twice having to rebuild the elevated radials this past
winter from the snow/ice storms it is time to go to the ground. I plan on
having the feedpoints on 4x4 posts with the feedpoints 3' up from the ground
so they don't get snow covered often.

Looking at the DXEngineering Radial plates. It looks like an easy way to tie
the radials together on the ground then run a ground wire up to a box at the
feedpoint. Any comments or issues with using these radial plates?



Also going to use buried feedlines - RG6, ¾ wave with 8 turns through #31
big clamp-on core at the feedpoint.

73,

N2TK, Tony

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