[UK-CONTEST] O/T - ground radial wire

[Peter Hobbs]

Many thanks to all those who answered my cry for help.  In summary, what I have learned is that few people seem to invest heavily in their ground system!  Sources are invariably those of opportunity and since moving up here from Pompey 15 years ago I can't remember patronising any of the rallies.  However, it looks as if Westlakes will probably come up with an affordable solution - special thanks to all who suggested them.

Thanks also to those who pointed out the true extent of the law of diminishing returns.  Most of my practical experience of ground systems has been at the VLF and LF Tx stations in the UK, Europe and the US, where the same criteria do not seem to apply.  I guess the primary power saving arising from 0.1dB extra gain (over a 40 year station life) well covers the investment in copper that is laid out so liberally at these stations.  Perhaps some would do well to heed the welcome advice from David G3YYD that there is little point in spacing radials any closer than 2.6m (this at 160m - I wonder if the same rule applies pro-rata at 136kHz!)

Looking out of the window at the fresh snow again tonight, I think we're talking a job for the summer, in the hope that the upward solar slope won't be too steep by next season.

73, Peter G3LET