[TowerTalk] Radial Ends Buried???

[Jeff Blaine]

Well said Steve., although "as long as you can" has reasonable limits as 
to what's optimal for a given frequency and overall radial count.

N6LF's article should be first stop for anyone serious about the topic.  
I assume that K3LC Al's conclusions on optimal length vs. count would 
match up roughly with N6LF's.  The key point here is that from getting 
the best bang for your radial investment, there's both count and length 
to consider.

73/jeff/ac0c
alpha-charlie-zero-charlie
www.ac0c.com


On 11/18/2022 1:43 PM, Steve Dyer W1SRD via TowerTalk wrote:
> I have a mish-mash of long, short, insulated, bare, solid, stranded, 
> thick, thin, on ground and below ground radials for 80 and 160 that 
> has accumulated over the years.
> It doesn't matter. What matters is how many and length (coverage) with 
> rapidly diminishing returns after 60 or so. Plenty of research to back 
> that number. Make them as long as you can and as symmetrical as you 
> can for the land you have. If you have land to do a beautiful circle 
> of perfectly sized radials, great. Otherwise do the best you can.
> Point being there is no reason for hand wringing over it. Tenths of a 
> dB on the low bands just don't matter.
>
> 73,
> Steve
> W1SRD
>
> On 11/18/2022 10:23 AM, Jim Brown wrote:
>> On 11/18/2022 8:38 AM, Test wrote:
>>> I'm about to install 20 radials for a Hi-Gain AV-18HT and Hi-Gain 
>>> recommends
>>> burying the Radial ends if installing less than 60 radials.
>>
>> There is ZERO reason for radials making electrical contact with the 
>> earth. Their function is to provide return current for the antenna IN 
>> PLACE OF the earth, which is very lossy (that is, it wastes 
>> transmitter power), and to SHIELD the antenna's fields from the earth.
>>
>> 73, Jim K9YC
>>
>>
>>
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