[TowerTalk] Radials - What is the big deal?

[Bill Gaines AD8P]

I have been reading all of the posts regarding this subject and while I claim absolutely no scientific knowledge on the subject let me tell you what really does/will work base on my 40 years of experience on Topband.

For 40 years I have used a "TEE" vertical. Not because I thought it worked better than the next thing but because I happened to have a 45' TV tower right beside the shack and it tips over thus making it really easy to stick a 20' mast out the top of it. I feed and 80 meter dipole with approximately 65' of open wire 450 ohm feedline. It leaves the tuner and goes straight out thru the window sill and up the tower. For 36 of those 40 years I used this same antenna with no radials....just a ground rod or maybe two. I would occasionally work a dx station but not very often. It just worked moderately.

About 4 years ago I was reading something....maybe in the ON4UN book, but somehow I got one of those "Oh yea" ideas. You know what I am talking about. The idea of elevated radials came to me in some sort of epiphany(if it's spelled right). I used 22 gauge wire and ran 6 or 7 of them all around my 
75wide by 175 deep lot. Over the trees and bushes, and under the vinyl siding that is around the windows. They are everywhere but not one of them is straight. They are all 1/4 wave long and today I can work anything I can hear. Shoot, some folks say I work things I can't hear too but that's another story in and of itself.

If you want to bury radials or run them on top of the ground......one will be better than none and two will work better than one. However, if you want a HUGE improvement and if you are forced to compromise with something, elevate the radials. I can't believe the difference it made for me.

Now before those who are much more technically savvy than I am start their flamethrowers understand one thing. My results are based on an observation at my location over 40 years of operating. If all the room you have for radials is a small lot, try elevating them before you lay 2 or 3 on the ground. You won't be disappointed at all.

Bill AD8P