Topband: Easy way to lay out a 4 square?

[Mike Smith VE9AA]

I admit- I don't have a 4-Sq on 160m, but do have them on 80, 40 & 20.20 was
easy to get square as it's more or less in the open, on flat land.  |I think
I used a 24' standard measuring tape.

 

My 40m and 80m ones were much more tricky.

They are wires hanging from trees, with 2 raised radials / vertical.
(that's not the hard part, though)

 

Mine are down in the woods, on sloping ground (kinda steep in spots) on the
edge of old farm field, so lots and lots of (now mossy rocks) were tossed
"down over the hill" eons ago where all my verts are.

 

I used a long fiberglass measuring tape and got 2 verticals on opposite
corners of the square at the right distance (using Trig) from each other and
then using some eyeball and some measuring got the 2 other verticals at the
same measurements and then tweaked to fit my land. (kinda like when you
build a deck or a wall---measure corner to corner, squeeze and pull)

 

It wasn't easy down in the woods-but they do seem to work well..I wish I had
an acre of California Redwoods to hang wires from for 160m!(as it is, I have
a 2el array on 160m (which needs repairs in the worst way..I am down to one
inv L right now)

 

dit dit

Mike VE9 Antenna Antenna

Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB