Posted: 2/10/2012 5:21:33 AM EDT
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Since I managed to get my ground rod about 7.5 feet into the dirt I am wondering if I should:
1. Add a couple of radials. and if so, 2. I can bury them under the lawn about an inch or so by cutting a slit with an edger. FWIW I am thinking of using bare copper wire for the radials. |
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Quoted: Since I managed to get my ground rod about 7.5 feet into the dirt I am wondering if I should: 1. Add a couple of radials. and if so, 2. I can bury them under the lawn about an inch or so by cutting a slit with an edger. FWIW I am thinking of using bare copper wire for the radials. Sure, you can skip the edger if you like and use landscape staples and the grass will eventually cover over the radials. Or scatter some topsoil over it. I can tell you from experience that stuffing it in an edger slit is a pita. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Pic––are you talking about radials for an antenna, or radials off your ground rod in order to get a better ground. If it's the latter, no, don't bother. My AH 4 is grounded to the ground spike as per directions. I am wondering if this will do any good. If you have no other counterpoise then a big YES is the answer as an antenna is a circuit and radials are needed in order in order for the antenna currents to flow between the two sides of the antenna. i.e. the radiator and "ground". If there is almost any distance between the tuner and the ground rod then the radials ought to be fastened to the ground side of the tuner. If the tuner is near the ground rod than radials run from the ground rod will be effective. The closer to ground the radials/ counterpoise are, the more will be needed to overcome ground losses. So, a tuner mounted at ground level will need at least 16 radials cut for the lowest frequency. A tuner mounted remotely up in the air may be thought of as the center of a dipole and in reality 1 or 2 radials would do. HTH 73, Rob |
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You will see a HUGE improvement if your only ground/counterpoise is a ground rod.
A couple radials would be great, but if you can manage 16+ that are at least 0.1 wavelength for your lowest band (about 25 feet for 80m)... that will rock. It'll turn pretty much any unbalanced antenna into the best performer it can be. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Pic––are you talking about radials for an antenna, or radials off your ground rod in order to get a better ground. If it's the latter, no, don't bother. My AH 4 is grounded to the ground spike as per directions. I am wondering if this will do any good. If one terminal of your match is the ground, and the other is a wire radiator or a vertical antenna....yes, ground radials are needed. Gotta have something to 'push' against. More radials is better. I believe, idealy, a guy could put out 8 radials from a central point and attach the distant ends of 4 of the radials (4 cardinals, N S E W) to ground rods. The others just add more 'reflective area'. If you run your radials now and hold them down with staples, by the time mowing season comes around, they should be way down on the soil. Having a good ground plane will help your signal quite a bit. Hell, you had a good signal when we spoke, but radials will help even more. |
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Here's a good article
about why radials and counterpoises are needed. |