[TowerTalk] To radial, or not to radial, that is the question...

[Jim Jarvis]

Whether 'tis nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of
outrageous radial debate, or by opposing, to end it.

... sorry, the devil made me do it.

An empirical report:

7 MHz 1/4 wave GP, feedpoint @ 50'.... vs. Cushcraft R7000,
in the clear at 35' at its base.  The CC R series is essentially
a trapped 3/8 wave vertical, fed without radials, through a choke
balun system.  The two antennas were 4 wavelengths apart.

There was very little difference, over a year's a/b comparison
between the two antennas.  Signals were down maybe half to .3 S unit
on the trapped antenna....differences were arrival angle dependent,
and switched back and forth, with the trapped antenna being superior
about half the time...but things usually flipped back and forth. 

The conclusion?  Just do it.  If it doesn't work, you'll know soon enough. 

Now, would I put up an inverted Ell with ONE radial, on ground?  Or 
even elevated by 2m?  I would not.  But I wouldn't hesitate for a 
nanosecond to build a YCCC folded-Ell design, which is proven empirically
to work.  In fact, that's how I expect to get on 160 from here.

N2EA
Jim Jarvis, President
The Morse Group, LLC
We create high-performance organizations.
(not to mention antenna systems!)
732 548 5573 office
443 618 5560 cell
jimjarvis at themorsegroup.net
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