This has been my favorite way for a long time. The wires remain
removable and pretty much become hidden in the turf after a year. A
lot depends on the nature of the soil you are dealing with. North
Carolina red clay in August is especially tough. Six inches is longer
than I have needed. In the past I have ignored what might be optimum
and instead installed the radials I could. I am inclined to use
electric fence wire because it is cheap. Just use more of it. I
realize that this approach is not very academic, but I feel it yields
the best results in the long run for a given set of conditions.

My current location seems especially prone to lightning so I expect it
will be prudent to tie the radial system to the house ground with #6
copper wire.

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 22:53:17 -0400, "Fred W4JLE"
wrote:

Your making it tough on yourself. Lay the wires out on the grass. Get a bunch of coathangers that have multiplied in your closet and cut 6" pieces and bend into a "U" shape and use them to nail the wire to the ground.

Your lawnmower will never touch them and you save the rental cost of a trencher and clear out the coathangers. A real win win situation.
"Paul Hinman" wrote in message news:NFFQe.330061$5V4.212744@pd7tw3no...
I came across an interesting antenna the other day on the web. It called for four radials for each band that one would want to use it on. In order to protect the lawn mower I would like to bury the radials. If I use insulated wires for the radials can I bury multiple radials for different frequencies in the same trench. I would rent a small trencher like they use for underground power and utility feeds, make four trenches and drop in the radials, then cover them.

Thanx for any responses.

Paul VE6LDS