Ian J wrote:
I need to improve my ground system, and am thinking of burying some
radials under the lawn.

[I realise this is not the most efficient way to do it from an
electrical point of view, but the alternative approach of installing
the radials above the ground is completely out of the question, for
aesthetic reasons].

Some practical questions:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. What is the "best" type of wire (or braid) to use for the radials?

Whatever you can get a lot of at a cheap price, and isn't going to
corrode immediately it's buried. That means NOT braid or bare stranded
either.

Bare or insulated solid wire is fine, and likewise insulated stranded
wire.

2. How do I bond the radials together? (I guess my 15-watt soldering
iron won't be up to the job ...).

I used a horizontal busbar of copper tube, supported by a token ground
rod. Each radial was looped round the busbar and secured with a twist,
and finally the whole lot was soldered with a blowtorch (used at a
careful distance).

3. What kind of solder and flux should I use?

Ordinary tin/lead. I used Fluxite paste and rinsed it off afterwards.

4. What precautions should I take to minimise the effects of corrosion
at the joints?

Clear polyurethane spray has worked perfectly for several years. I chose
clear so I'd be able to check for corrosion underneath, but there hasn't
been any.

5. How deep should I bury the radials? Two inches, six inches, 12
inches?

Zero inches, if you can. Cut the grass very short in a few weeks' time,
and staple the radials down. This part of the question was discussed
here, only a week ago.

6. Is there anything else I should know?

You're going to have backache.



--
73 from Ian G3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek