Topband: Radial plate

[Paul Christensen]

Tony,

Instead of a wire, consider using a short 1/2" wide copper strap from the
radial plate up to the coaxial input connection on your box.    

I think you made the right choice in using a separate box for the feed.  I
recently did the same with NEMA 4x4x2 boxes mounted on a 2-inch pipe.  The
SO-239 mounting hole in the DXE radial plate is convenient, but not
practical for most of us since the connector is at, or near the ground
surface.  The connector then becomes susceptible to snow and/or vegetation
growing up through it.  

The DXE radial plate should have been made to accommodate standard 2-hole
lugs.  It's unfortunate because it was easy to implement at the time of
design.  2-hole lugs can’t spin and loosen on the mounting bolt when
accidentally struck.  That would have brought the plate up to commercial
telecom standards.  When I worked for AT&T Broadband, I wrote portions of
their Network Architectural Manual that focused on facilities readiness
standards.  We required 2-hole lugs at all ground bonding points or a site
failed compliance testing.

Paul, W9AC

-----Original Message-----
From: Topband <topband-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of N2TK, Tony
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2018 9:09 AM
To: topband at contesting.com
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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