Question:

Is you are making a HF-ground (radials just below the surface) Should
these radials be insulated or not?

73 John

On 19 Jan 2006 06:04:29 -0800, wrote:

Question:

Is you are making a HF-ground (radials just below the surface) Should
these radials be insulated or not?

73 John

In one of my antenna books, by W6SAI, he recommended uninsulated wire
for buried radials.

bob
k5qwg

To cut down on copper corrosion, I use enameled #14 magnet wire.

"Bob Miller" wrote in message
...
On 19 Jan 2006 06:04:29 -0800, wrote:

Question:

Is you are making a HF-ground (radials just below the surface) Should
these radials be insulated or not?

73 John

In one of my antenna books, by W6SAI, he recommended uninsulated wire
for buried radials.

bob
k5qwg

On 19 Jan 2006 06:04:29 -0800, John wrote:

Question:

Is you are making a HF-ground (radials just below the surface) Should
these radials be insulated or not?


It makes no real noticeable difference in operation, however,
insulated wire will not deteriorate as fast in the ground.

Danny, K6MHE




email: k6mheatarrldotnet
http://www.k6mhe.com/

wrote:

Question:

Is you are making a HF-ground (radials just below the surface) Should
these radials be insulated or not?

73 John
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Insulated will reduce corrosion. Don't bury them any deeper than
necessary. Lying on top of the ground is better. Dirt is not a good
antenna element.

Bill, W6WRT

If you are also going to use the radials for a lightning protection
ground then bare wire is much better.

73
Gary K4FMX


On 19 Jan 2006 06:04:29 -0800, wrote:

Question:

Is you are making a HF-ground (radials just below the surface) Should
these radials be insulated or not?

73 John

On 19 Jan 2006 16:28:53 GMT, "Bill Turner" wrote:

wrote:

Question:

Is you are making a HF-ground (radials just below the surface) Should
these radials be insulated or not?

73 John
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Insulated will reduce corrosion. Don't bury them any deeper than
necessary. Lying on top of the ground is better. Dirt is not a good
antenna element.

Bill, I often see the assertion that it is better to not bury radials.

Can you point me to any reputable texts or experimental evidence that
shows the difference between shallow buried radials and radials lying
"on top of the ground"?

Corrosion is often cited as a reason to use insulated buried radials,
but is corrosion a significant risk in most locations. We widely use
buried copper water pipes here, and copper clad earthing electrodes
for the MEN power supply earthing, yet they don't seem to suffer
significant corrosion in most places.

It seems to me that insulated buried radials are likely to be less
effective in a lightning protection role.

Owen
--

"Bill Turner" wrote in news:xn0ehew7u3qjhj000
@cnews.newsguy.com:

wrote:

Question:

Is you are making a HF-ground (radials just below the surface) Should
these radials be insulated or not?

73 John
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Insulated will reduce corrosion. Don't bury them any deeper than
necessary. Lying on top of the ground is better. Dirt is not a good
antenna element.

Electric fence wire is adequate and cheap. I use it right on the surface,
as you say. It's a bit springy so you may have to work it to straighten
it, though.

--
Dave Oldridge+
ICQ 1800667

Ok, but do you use steel or aluminum fence wire? Galvanized steel fence wire
will rust in a few years.

"Dave Oldridge" wrote in message
9...

Electric fence wire is adequate and cheap. I use it right on the surface,
as you say. It's a bit springy so you may have to work it to straighten
it, though.

--
Dave Oldridge+
ICQ 1800667

Owen Duffy wrote:

Bill, I often see the assertion that it is better to not bury radials.

Can you point me to any reputable texts or experimental evidence that
shows the difference between shallow buried radials and radials lying
"on top of the ground"?

Corrosion is often cited as a reason to use insulated buried radials,
but is corrosion a significant risk in most locations. We widely use
buried copper water pipes here, and copper clad earthing electrodes
for the MEN power supply earthing, yet they don't seem to suffer
significant corrosion in most places.

It seems to me that insulated buried radials are likely to be less
effective in a lightning protection role.

Owen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your mind is already made up. Do as you like.

Bill, W6WRT