Topband: Using 4 - 6 elevated radials in lieu of 120 buried wires

[Robin]

Milt Jensen, N5IA (SK) constructed his original (circa 1990s) 160M station TX 
antenna based on a similar design I encouraged him use.  He built a 180 ft tower 
with an insulator at 50 ft,  Four elevated quarter wave radials, each  made of a 
box of four pieces of # 12.  This was on his "city" lot where buried radials 
were impossible

It worked very well,  We did not have the tools to make real field strength 
measurements to compare to a model, but on air performance was excellent

It worked well enough for him to use the concept in several similar 
installations and to make his 8 circle array

The radial height above ground clearly did not need to be 50 feet,.  It did need 
to be high enough to easily be well above a tall truck, or more commonly, a 
horseback rider.

We used a single element elevated radial 160M TX antenna, and for the 80M 4 
square at XZ0A with considerable success.

The concept of exciting a tower from the inside is very interesting.  The 
reposting this article a has me thinking about one situation I have available to 
me that can not have a complex installation outside the general dimensions of 
the tower (large but not tall)

One thing to bear in mind throughout any analysis of such designs for 160M is 
that the total focus of the Broadcast designs and measurements and proofs is 
energy at zero degrees elevation.  Our needs benefit from low angle radiation, 
for certain,  but,  little attention is paid by the broadcasters and by the 
modeling programs to position and shape of elevated lobes, or for that matter, 
the shape of the main lobe above zero elevation

Robin Critchell, WA6CDR



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken WA8JXM" <wa8jxm at gmail.com>
To: "Radio KH6O" <radio.kh6o at gmail.com>
Cc: "topband" <topband at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 04, 2024 20:56
Subject: Re: Topband: Using 4 - 6 elevated radials in lieu of 120 buried wires


> Very interesting, thanks for sharing.
>
> I have seen similar information in one of the ARRL manuals, that elevated,
> insulated radials are more efficient than the typical ham buried 30 or 40
> radials  Perhaps that originated from the information you posted.
>
> Is it okay if I post your information to a ham antennas group?
>
> Ken WA8JXM
>
> On Thu, Jan 4, 2024 at 9:58 PM Radio KH6O <radio.kh6o at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Attached is an interesting research paper by Clarence Beverage.
>>
>> --
>> 73,
>> Jeff KH6O
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