[TowerTalk] Magic Length for 160-40 vertical?

[Jim Brown]

You have RF in the shack because you have no radials or counterpoise!  
AND the antenna will work a LOT better with a counterpoise.  Anything 
from radials to a K2AV folded counterpoise to something improvised. 
Without radials, you're probably using the Green Wire in your AC power 
system as a counterpoise. :)

In Chicago, I used a big wrought iron fence that ran around the front of 
my house as the counterpoise for an antenna very much like N6RK 
described. My buddy KK9H used (and may still use) the HVAC ducts in his 
suburban wood frame house, and I've worked him on 160M from W6! I think 
he ran a KW amp into it.

73, Jim K9YC

On Fri,11/4/2016 10:10 AM, Steve Jones wrote:
> I plan to eventually put up a stand-alone vertical over a radial system, but
> for now this improvised antenna works well on 160M.
>
> Only drawback is I need to avoid touching bare metal in the shack when
> transmitting to avoid RF burns!