In message , Cecil Moore
writes
Barrett wrote:
Just went out to get things ready to try the Ariel's out tomorrow and
it occurred to me that the 20ft pole is resting on the patio. To make
this work, would I need to lift the pole off the floor and would 1ft
be enough?

Depends on whether the patio is conductive or not.
Probably best to rest the base on an insulator.
Also be aware that, at 100 watts, there will be
hundreds, if not thousands of volts present at
the base of the pole. I once keyed down while
a cat was standing on one of my radials. Not
sure where it went, but it might have gone
into orbit. Have you considered sleeving the
pole inside PVC pipe for safety reasons?

A glass jar (eg a jam jar) makes an effective insulator for the base of
a pole. Or a polythene bucket!
--
Ian