Richard Clark wrote in
news
On Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:54:23 -0600, Lostgallifreyan
wrote:

Btw, how critical is the resistance of wire in a few ground radials? I
have some thin stainless steel wire that would be strong and enduring
out there but at around 1.5 ohms or more per 6 inches I can't help
thinking that's too much. I like the idea though, because clamping ends
of it very firmly between copper washers could be fast and easy for good
and reliable contact.

The stainless steel is a non-starter. Use more radials of wire-wrap
wire if you are concerned about visibility vs. thickness.
Vegetation/grass will quickly bury most wire when Spring comes (and
possibly before). Grass will be so tenacious that even mowing the
lawn will not bring it up (unless you have a thatching attachment).

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC


Ok, copper's no problem, was just wondering about stuff I had plenty of at
hand.. I wish I had a lawn. I was thinking that it would be an ideal
method. My main difficulty (apart from a large amount of heavy logs (and most
of a tree trunk) is that the best place to mount the antenna is in a far
coner of a plot so I can't lay radials all round it. I can probably get the
permission of one neighbour to run a ground wire along the far end of his
garden along a low wall, but that same wall is a high wall on the other side,
there's a drop of several feet as well as no chance of permission to lay
wires there. This is why I'll want a ground rod, as a tree used to grow
there, the rotted roots might be my best chance of anything like a conductive
network that is close to the surface, in addition to a few ground wires. I'm
a tenant, I don't own the land, and can't do much except work round what is
there.