I would appreciate some advice on grounding for a long wire antenna.

I am just thinking about setting-up my new QTH mainly for 40m and 20m.
I would like to try a longwire (around 100m long) with an SG230 ATU,
largely because I have an opportunity to sling a long wire high and
clear. But how important is orientation of grounding elements? I could
bury wire under a small lawn (10m x 10m) but it would lie under just a
fraction of the feed end of the longwire. Is this workable ?
Alternatively (or additionally) I could run a long wire (again around
100m) in a straight line just beneath grass but at almost 90 degrees to
the antenna. I could also connect the far end of this long ground wire
to a big galvanised steel fence that runs for almost a mile, I guess
that would make a great counterpoise??

What do you guys recommend

Thanks

On 19 Jun 2005 09:33:49 -0700, wrote:
I could bury wire under a small lawn (10m x 10m) but it would lie under just a
fraction of the feed end of the longwire.

Hi OM,

A small set of radials (8 - 16) planted just into the soil of that 10m
x 10m patch would be adequate. Being under just a fraction,
presumably it would be under the fraction that is closest to Earth -
hence the significant fraction.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

On 19 Jun 2005 09:33:49 -0700, wrote:

I would appreciate some advice on grounding for a long wire antenna.

I am just thinking about setting-up my new QTH mainly for 40m and 20m.
I would like to try a longwire (around 100m long) with an SG230 ATU,
largely because I have an opportunity to sling a long wire high and
clear. But how important is orientation of grounding elements? I could
bury wire under a small lawn (10m x 10m) but it would lie under just a
fraction of the feed end of the longwire. Is this workable ?
Alternatively (or additionally) I could run a long wire (again around
100m) in a straight line just beneath grass but at almost 90 degrees to
the antenna. I could also connect the far end of this long ground wire
to a big galvanised steel fence that runs for almost a mile, I guess
that would make a great counterpoise??

What do you guys recommend

Thanks

I recently put up a "long wire" for 20 meters -- three quarter waves
long -- had a high swr & key clicks, but brought it under control with
a single elevated quarter-wave radial, attached to the tuner ground
and going out the window, tacked to the house siding.

Quarter wave elevated radials may do the same for you, or you could
experiment a bit...

bob
k5qwg