[TowerTalk] Rooftop vertical grounding [SUMMARY]

[berferd]

Hi Tom,

Good point.  However, my backyard is landscaped and I have
to be able to mow the lawn.  Since the Butternut is a multiband
vertical (80,40,30,20,17,15,12,10 meters) I figure I would need
a minimum of 16 tuned above ground radials (2 per band).  Tying
them off isn't a problem and I think I have the room, but I use my
backyard for gatherings (barbecues, etc.)

If I'm missing something here, please tell me.

Thanks and 73,
Jeff KC0HEP

On Sat, 12 Feb 2000, Tom Osborne wrote:
> berferd wrote:
> 
> > So instead I'm going to ground mount the Butternut in the >middle of my backyard with a buried radial system.
> > 
> 
> Hi Jeff
> 
> If possible, the antenna would work a lot better and require a
> lot fewer radials if you could mount it 8 or 10 feet in the air. 
> Verticals with raised radials work much better that buried
> radials.  The purpose of the radials is to transfer the power
> back to the feed point of the antenna for efficiency.  When the
> radials are buried, it is harder for the RF to get to them for
> the return path.  Think of the radial system as the other half of
> a dipole antenna.  I have 3 phased verticals here and a 160 meter
> inverted "L" antenna with many many radials.  Mine are just
> laying on top of the ground as there is nothing the back yard
> except trees and brush.  With a ground mounted radial system, it
> takes about 60 radial to make it play, but with raised verticals
> and radials, you can get by with as little as 4 radials and make
> the antenna play.  The radials are not on the antenna for
> grounding purposes but to to provide a path for the return the RF
> back to the feed point.  73
> Tom W7WHY
> 
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