[TowerTalk] Ground radials

[Jim Lux]

>
>
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Gene Smar" <ersmar at comcast.net>
> > To: "Tom Champlin" <w0hh at msn.com>; "Towertalk"
<towertalk at contesting.com>
> > Sent: Monday, December 22, 2003 5:37 PM
> > Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Ground radials
> > > >
> > Now that I think about it, what about aluminum wire?  (titanium's
another
> > possibility, real corrosion resistant, and you might be able to find it
> > surplus, but the resistivity's not all that hot).
> >
>      You can't solder to aluminum (well, I can't) so copper is what I use.

Excellent point.. connecting to aluminum is a real pain.. It can be done,
but the extra hassles probably cost more in dollars and time than you'd save
by using it instead of copper.  It IS an interesting idea, though... Maybe
you don't even need to even connect it, if the dominant effect is to improve
ground conductivity.. some sort of bizarre hybrid might be best.  10 feet of
copper radials right at the base, so you've got a good low impedance
connection to "ground",  then a ton of cheap aluminum farther out to reduce
the resistivity, with no real need to actually connect it.  Much to
contemplate (especially, how can one improve the conductivity of my
neighbor's yard, without sowing it with salt in the dead of night (really,
Bob, that's snow, not salt!, never mind the grass dying). Or maybe, if you
get a real good connection for a 20 foot diameter circle, that buys you 90
percent, and the rest is gravy or painting the lily.