[TowerTalk] Laying out radials around a stone fence

[Kelly Taylor]

Sent from my iPhone

> On May 14, 2018, at 08:50, Les Kalmus <w2lk at bk-lk.com> wrote:
> 
> Radials on/in the ground aren't resonant. Most of the current in them will be close to the tower regardless of the length of those radials so put down as many as you can at whatever length they come out which will be better than no radials.
> 
> Les W2LK
> 

Yes, however the engineering on radials has progressed past asking whether on- or in-ground radials are resonant and now considers the benefits of reducing resisitivity of the soil, as Jim Lux so aptly described. It’s not just about being part of a return path. 

The axiom about more short radials being better than fewer long radials remains, especially if your space or wire supply is limited. But if you have more of each, radials farther out are still beneficial. 

It’s probably still wise to not sacrifice a dense field of radials near the antenna at the altar of fewer longer radials, but it didn’t seem space or wire was limited, merely that there’s an obstacle in the way. 

73, kelly, ve4xt 


> 
>> On 5/14/2018 7:05 AM, Stan Stockton wrote:
>> With that info I might be inclined to use the same amount of wire and put down 5 times as many 20 foot radials in that 75 degree span.
>> 
>> Obviously there would be some amount of bend which would have no effect.
>> 
>> Stan, K5GO
>> 
>>> On May 13, 2018, at 9:58 PM, Don Moman VE6JY <ve6jy.1 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> An experienced local MW broadcast engineer and low band ham, VE6LO now SK,
>>> did some experiments with radials on a 160m vertical he had with a yard
>>> that also had obstacles.  Using a RF current meter (similar to the MFJ 854
>>> I expect) he came to the conclusion that if a radial had to be bent to go
>>> around an obstacle, you might as well not bother - as he found very little
>>> RF continued past the bend.
>>> 
>>> 73 Don
>>> VE6JY
>>> 
>>> On Mon, May 14, 2018 at 1:22 AM Joe Giacobello, K2XX via TowerTalk <
>>> towertalk at contesting.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Yea! Verily!
>>>> 
>>>>> Stan Stockton <mailto:wa5rtg at gmail.com>
>>>>> Sunday, May 13, 2018 4:32 PM
>>>>> I would stake them down at base of wall, go up and over the wall,
>>>>> stake them down on other side and continue out.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Stan, K5GO
>>>>> 
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>> 
>>>>> Kevin Shea via TowerTalk <mailto:towertalk at contesting.com>
>>>>> Sunday, May 13, 2018 3:57 PM
>>>>> Now that the glacier has receded from Wisconsin, I want to put in
>>>>> radials around my 80' AN Wireless tower (free standing no guy wires).
>>>>> About 20' out on an arc of about 75 degrees I have an old stone wall.
>>>>> It's not high but has huge glacial boulders which really can't be
>>>>> moved. My radials will be about 100' long (some a bit longer some a
>>>>> bit shorter). They will be buried using a trencher designed to bury
>>>>> invisible dog fence or lawn sprinkler pipes. I will likely go down ~3"
>>>>> using 15 gauge solid enamel copper wire (got it an auction of a
>>>>> transformer mfgr going out of business).
>>>>> 
>>>>> My question is: should I run the 20' radials out and end them at the
>>>>> wall, and the radials at the end edges of the wall (either side of the
>>>>> 75 degree arc) connect those to a wire (forming a chord - parallel to
>>>>> the far side of the stone wall) and then connect radials to this cord
>>>>> and continue those radials out another 80-100'?
>>>>> 
>>>>> Hard to explain without a drawing. I would also mention that the
>>>>> ground falls away from the tower in this direction, probable down 25'
>>>>> from the base of the tower. This is into a woods and the soil is very
>>>>> rich and should be a good conductor.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 73,
>>>>> Kevin N9JKP
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
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>>>>> 
>>>>> 
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