[TowerTalk] Long wire - remote tuner - radials

[Jim Brown]

On 5/9/2011 11:15 PM, Tony wrote:
> The radial system will have to be a compromise; I have a choice of
> running a bundle of radials in one direction along a vinyl fence or
> wrapping the same bundle around the 8 x 12 shed.

No question -- wrapping wire around a shed does NOT form a radial. One 
radial that is more or less straight is far better than none, but if I 
were you, I would try to figure out how to run a lot more, even if they 
are short.

Study the material in the ARRL Handbook and the ARRL Antenna Book.

One other thought. Where did you come up with 300 ft?  That's not a very 
good length, for a lot of reasons. First, it's difficult to tune and 
load on most bands. Second, it's a lot longer than optimum for any of 
the bands listed.

In an inverted L, the vertical part provides the most useful radiation, 
and the additional horizontal length simply makes it easier to tune. For 
the bands where you want to use it, I'd be thinking of an overall length 
on the order of 100 ft, which avoids a high impedance feed point on both 
80 and 160 (and maybe on 40 as well). The object is to avoid a multiple 
of half waves.

73, Jim K9YC