[TowerTalk] Wire 4-squares in the woods?

[Les Kalmus]

I have an 80M 4sq deep in the woods. It uses the DXE 4sq. and I had them 
cut the phasing lines. The 4 corners are very accurately marked with a 
treated 2x4 pounded into the dirt. Each 2x4 has a 4x4 weatherproof 
electrical box with SO-239 on the bottom and a SS bolt on the top 
connected internally to the SO-239. There is a radial gounding system on 
the earth made of galvanized electrical fence wire clamped to a ground 
rod at each corner and connected to the shell of the SO-239 via a SS 
bolt on the underside of the electrical box. Each corner is connected to 
the others by a direct run of wire along with the rest of the system.

The vertical elements are made from insulated antenna wire from Davis RF 
and were run over convenient tree limbs with a tennis ball launcher so 
they are as close to vertical as I could get. Excess wire is run out 
away from the center of the 4 sq and tied to a tree using black 3/32" 
rope sold by many radio dealers. The wires are connected to the bolt on 
top of the electrical boxes with an appropriately sized compression wire 
lug. These have broken from time to time by repeated flexing but 
replacing them takes only a minute or two. The dummy load is housed in a 
plastic box near the remote controller which is clamped to a piece of 2" 
water pipe driven into the ground. The run from my shack to the 
controller is about 900', mostly LMR-400 equivalent. The relays are 
controlled with 4 conductor water sprinkler wire from Home Depot.

Does it work? My first QSO with it was with BU2AQ for a new country and 
zone on 80 on 1/26/2012. I had been trying to work him many mornings for 
years with my dipole with no luck and I nearly fell out of the chair 
when he came back to me. I have used it in contests and for DXing with 
pretty good results and it's really amazing how it's like listening on a 
beverage that you can point in different directions.

73, Les W2LK


On 9/23/2016 10:21 AM, K7LXC--- via TowerTalk wrote:
>>   I've read the archives here and on CQ-CONTEST back as far  as they go and
> there is not much data on wire 4-squares in the WOODS or  trees.
>   
>>   Does anyone have any real world experience with  them?
>   
>      Contact Lee, VE7CC. His 4 square on 80 used one  tree and ropes to hold
> the wires up. Worked very well and a pretty simple design  and construction
> project.
>   
> Cheers,
> Steve    K7LXC
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