[TowerTalk] Grounding

[Rob Atkinson, K5UJ]

I've been asked about my statement saying artificial ground counterpoise 
wires should be 1/2 w.   This was incorrect.  I went back and rechecked my 
old reading.  1/4 w. wires should work fine.  I confused these with 1/4 w. 
runs to actual earth grounds.  It's my understanding that in the latter 
case, inductive reactance is at a minumum at the rod and at maximum at odd 
quarter wavelengths along the ground run at the operating frequency (i.e. on 
ten meters make your strap to a rod < 8 feet or ~ 16 feet).  Apparently if 
the strap or wire isn't connected to anything at the far end the odd quarter 
wave avoidance rule doesn't matter and the wire becomes something akin to a 
radial at the base of a vertical antenna.  I apologize for the confusion.

Rob Atkinson
K5UJ

_________________________________________________________________
The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE*  
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail