[TowerTalk] ground radials

[Jim Brown]

On Fri,2/19/2016 10:15 AM, n0tt1 at juno.com wrote:
> I used the galvanized fence wire for radials in a 40m 4-square....
> 120 radials per element.  I just pinned them down to into
> the grass...didn't bury it.  I took the antenna down years later
> and the wire was just starting to rust.  I made no attempt to
> remove the wire from the grass roots and it finally just
> rusted away.

Laying out radials can be a lot of work, depending on your terrain. It 
certainly is at my QTH. The LAST thing I want to do is do it again, 
especially when I'm ten years older!

My radials are #14 THHN solid house wire. I started by laying about 40 
of them when I moved in 10 years ago, then added 30-40 more. They're 
still there and still in good shape. The only thing I would consider to 
reduce the cost is to go to #18 insulated copper.

73, Jim K9YC