UPDATE: "no ground" improvement.
 

It took me all of ten minutes to drive a 4' steel rod into the
ground outside my window, and clamp my ground lead securely to it, then
bury it below grade. My ground path is now a measurable 30" to solid
earth ground, and the improvement in MW is very noticeable. Still "flip
a coin" whether improved or not on SW bands, but tonight will tell.
Thanks to those who reinforced for me what I already knew, and was
trying to "get by" without.

Tony


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It's always nice to hear that someone has succeeded with a worthy endeavor -
WTG ^ 5.

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 09:16:22 -0400, Tony Meloche
wrote:


It took me all of ten minutes to drive a 4' steel rod into the
ground outside my window, and clamp my ground lead securely to it, then
bury it below grade. My ground path is now a measurable 30" to solid
earth ground, and the improvement in MW is very noticeable. Still "flip
a coin" whether improved or not on SW bands, but tonight will tell.
Thanks to those who reinforced for me what I already knew, and was
trying to "get by" without.

Tony

Though copper conducts better, even steel should be helpful.
Given they both oxidize, who knows whats better after a year or so.

"mike" wrote in message
...


Though copper conducts better, even steel should be helpful.
Given they both oxidize, who knows whats better after a year or so.


I don't think oxidation is a big factor. Rusty steel or green copper are
still probably better conductors than the surrounding soil. Even if the
stake were completely insulated, there still would be AC capacitive coupling
to the earth.

Frank Dresser

Frank Dresser wrote:

"mike" wrote in message
...


Though copper conducts better, even steel should be helpful.
Given they both oxidize, who knows whats better after a year or so.


I don't think oxidation is a big factor. Rusty steel or green copper are
still probably better conductors than the surrounding soil. Even if the
stake were completely insulated, there still would be AC capacitive coupling
to the earth.

Frank Dresser



Frank's thought was pretty much the same as mine. The most conductive
of all metals is silver, but you don't see many people arguing to use a
4'-8' length of silver rod because it "works even better than copper"
:D

I spent the evening listening to a wide variety of things, and my
results are little changed from this morning: On the tropical bands, I
do notice less "garbage" than before, though there is still plenty of
garbage there (the tropical bands are the tropical bands, after all).
On higher SW frequencies,
I don't detect much difference, but for sure it isn't hurting, and it
would stay connected for that reason alone. On MW, no question: It
*really* helps.
My thanks to all who responded.

Tony


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I've always been taught that gold was the best conductor!

Larry

Larry Echols wrote:

I've always been taught that gold was the best conductor!

Larry

Well, you have always been taught incorrectly. Gold is only about 2/3
that of copper and 1/2 that of silver.

Dale W4OP

"Dale Parfitt" wrote in message
...


Larry Echols wrote:

I've always been taught that gold was the best conductor!

Larry

Well, you have always been taught incorrectly. Gold is only about 2/3
that of copper and 1/2 that of silver.

Dale W4OP


Well, more or less. But more importantly, conductivity isn't a factor for
99% of the work we do. All the conductors work well enough, and other
factors, such as availibility, durability and ease of handling are the most
important. I'm sure stainless steel wire could make a fine SWL antenna or
ground wire, even though it doesn't conduct electricity as well as copper.

http://hypertextbook.com/physics/ele...ty/resistance/

Frank Dresser

Frank Dresser wrote:

"Dale Parfitt" wrote in message
...


Larry Echols wrote:

I've always been taught that gold was the best conductor!

Larry

Well, you have always been taught incorrectly. Gold is only about 2/3
that of copper and 1/2 that of silver.

Dale W4OP


Well, more or less. But more importantly, conductivity isn't a factor for
99% of the work we do. All the conductors work well enough, and other
factors, such as availibility, durability and ease of handling are the most
important. I'm sure stainless steel wire could make a fine SWL antenna or
ground wire, even though it doesn't conduct electricity as well as copper.

http://hypertextbook.com/physics/ele...ty/resistance/

Frank Dresser

For HF, I totally agree. My passion is 1296 MHz Moonbounce- and silver plated
cavities are a must for high efficiency.

Dale W4OP

In article , Frank
Dresser says...


"Dale Parfitt" wrote in message
...


Larry Echols wrote:

I've always been taught that gold was the best conductor!

Larry

Well, you have always been taught incorrectly. Gold is only about 2/3
that of copper and 1/2 that of silver.

Dale W4OP


Well, more or less. But more importantly, conductivity isn't a factor for
99% of the work we do. All the conductors work well enough, and other
factors, such as availibility, durability and ease of handling are the most
important. I'm sure stainless steel wire could make a fine SWL antenna or
ground wire, even though it doesn't conduct electricity as well as copper.

http://hypertextbook.com/physics/ele...ty/resistance/

Frank Dresser


Damn...you would have to mention steel. I put up a 50' random with made of
steel rather than copper as my other copper random wire stretches.

Would you advise replacing the steel with copper wire? This is a newbie
question.

thanks

elfa