wrote:

3) If I run up a metal pipe to 20 foot and then an insulated wire from
the dirt to the top alongside the pipe as my radiator, what effect will
the pipe have on the radiating wire?


*Install the pipe.

*Build a 16-17 foot tapered radiator made from telescoping lengths of
6061-T6 aluminum tubing. See the Texas Towers site for the tubing.
E-mail me about doing the design of the radiator, I'm equipped to do
the FEA stress analysis.

*Build an aluminum adapter plate to attach the radiator to the pipe.
See any "how to" type ham antenna book which includes the construction
of yagis. Use a pair of stainless steel u-bolts to attach the adapter
plate to the pipe. Use a pair of insulated clamps to attach the
radiator to the adapter plate. These are available from DXengineering.

http://www.dxengineering.com/Section...&DeptID=21#Top

*Run ONE 16-17 foot wire to the the adapter plate but do not ground it.
Instead attach it the braid of the coax. Attach the radiator to the
center conductor of the coax. Pull the "radial wire" as far away from
the trailer as possible in some direction or another.

This arrangement would give you a "sorta" inverted L or vertical dipole
type antenna instead of a ground plane.

Thanks again,

The Eternal Squire

w3rv