[TowerTalk] RADIAL WIRE
Red
RedHaines at centurytel.net
Sat Feb 12 21:18:43 EST 2005
Hi, Mike;
Regarding using aluminum wire for radials:
Aluminum is attacked by alkalinity in the soil, whereas, iron is
protected somewhat by alkalinity. Some operators report fair service
using steel electric fence wire for radials. I haven't tried the fence
wire.
I bought a spool, several thousands of feet, of #13 magnet wire
recovered from a transformer for not much money a few years ago and have
been using that. Don't connect copper directly to either aluminum or to
galvanized steel. I tie it to aluminum ground plates under the antennas
with stainless steel bolts and ring terminals, so that copper never
touches the aluminum. I use No-Ox or Ox-Gard and replace it annually on
all the connections.
I don't work real hard at it. I mow the grass short and pin the radials
to the ground with 'half staples' made of #16 steel wire from a farm
supply store. I cut it into 4-5 inch lengths and bend a short hook on
one end using two nails held in a vise for a fixture. I'm careful about
snagging any of the radials until the grass grows over them, and after a
year, have never snagged one. It took a few hours to bend them and pin
nearly 6000' of radial wire under one of my antennas (antennae?). I
surveyed the ends of the radials with a tape from the center and a stick
from one end to the next, to space them evenly, and I recall that took
about as much time as putting down the radials. Maybe I'm an amateur
surveyor!
73 de Red
MIKE GREENWAY wrote:
>Thanks for all the input. One comment on the aluminum wire. I put out
>aluminum that was 14 gauge and in a year or two it had started turning
>brittle and just crumbled up. A lot of work laying all of that out was a
>waste of time. 73 Mike K4PI
>
>
>
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