Topband: Radials on ground

[Carl Braun]

Topbanders

Here is my favorite article on ground radials by Al Christman K3LC.  https://ncjweb.com/bonus-content/k3lcmaxgainradials.pdf

Great reading but I continue to add more radials thus exceeding Al's suggested number.  I also use Eight 3" aluminum irrigation pipes under each vertical that are 30' long in conjunction with 50 100' long wire radials.  I use the irrigation pipe as radials rather than stack them behind the garage waiting for the price of aluminum to peak.

73, Carl W9LF


-----Original Message-----
From: Topband <topband-bounces+carl.braun=cattron.com at contesting.com> On Behalf Of Jim Brown
Sent: Friday, January 7, 2022 12:36 PM
To: topband at contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: Radials on ground

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On 1/7/2022 6:14 AM, Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:
> is the size of wire used for on-the-ground radials - or elevated 
> radials for that matter - significant?

The only significance is their mechanical characteristics to withstand physical conditions.

 > at least as compared to feeding the antenna against a single ground  > rod.

The earth is a big resistor. We do NOT want a connection to it, except for lightning protection. Indeed, radials have two functions -- to provide a low resistance path for the antenna's return current, and to SHIELD the antenna's field from the lossy earth.

The only antennas whose performance benefit from an earth connection are receiving antennas.

Conversations here can point us to consider other options, but are not a substitute for serious study of fundamentals. Real understanding of how stuff works is better obtained by study of the Handbook, the Antenna Book, and the ON4UN book.

Rudy Severns, N6LF, has done a LOT of excellent work, in the form of interactive modeling concepts, building and measuring radial systems, modeling some more, and building measuring some more, then publishing what he's done and what he's learned. It's also well worth studying.
https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.antennasbyn6lf.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7CCarl.Braun%40cattron.com%7Cd80402cf63804d67fdd808d9d20c996c%7Ce3db7da86f894250a548d36f358a7d2a%7C0%7C0%7C637771774496971841%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=626vCzmEvqb1EpFh3eoEfr75LZDkDdenVM5y5VqU8IE%3D&reserved=0  Going to his site to find this link, I see that since my last visit, he's published some work on loop and loop on ground RX antennas.

Almost ten years ago, I summarized what I'd learned from others on the topic of 160M antenna systems for limited space in a talk I've done at Visalia, Pacificon, and for several clubs including NCCC. Most of it is about radial and counterpoise systems. None of it is original work on my part. The slides are here. https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.antennasbyn6lf.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7CCarl.Braun%40cattron.com%7Cd80402cf63804d67fdd808d9d20c996c%7Ce3db7da86f894250a548d36f358a7d2a%7C0%7C0%7C637771774496971841%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=626vCzmEvqb1EpFh3eoEfr75LZDkDdenVM5y5VqU8IE%3D&reserved=0

73, Jim K9YC
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