Topband: Antennas and saltwater

[Stan Stockton]


Björn,

I would like to see your picture if you could send it to me.  You are always strong on 160 and now we know why.  

For the verticals I have put up on a temporary basis very close to the water, I am pleased with just two elevated radials.  I tried radials on the ground and in the water but as you and others have said, everything changes with the tide and when the waves get big.  

If anyone had a protected area to eliminate the waves and then something that would float with copper sheeting on the bottom, that would be great!  My permanent antenna, a shunt fed tower, is not as close to the water (about 70 feet away) and I try to have a reasonably good ground radial system although they are confined to 180 degrees since that tower is very near my property line.  

A salt water location makes it easy to have a big signal with a relatively simple antenna.  Of course it also causes some corrosion and weatherproofing challenges that stations inland don’t have to worry about so much.  Given a choice, I’ll take the salty water.

73… Stan, ZF9CW

> On Dec 28, 2022, at 8:37 AM, Bjorn SM0MDG <bjorn at sm0mdg.com> wrote:
> Björn