[Antennas] Ground For Vert Antenna

[Dean Fewkes]

I have a Butternut HF9V that is ground mounted with about 40 buried radials. I have a metal hog-wire fence that circles a 1-acre area around the antenna with metal grounded fenceposts. The antenna is a little off-center of the circle but is never closer then 70' to the fence.

My question is, would it increase or decrease performance if I connected a couple ground radials to the fence and made it part of my ground radial system. The fence is 6' tall so I am not sure if the connection would make it catch more rf above ground and hurt my low angle radiation or if the gains of reducing ground losses would overcome any of these concerns.

Your thoughts and observations would be greatly appreciated!

Dean Fewkes
KG7MZ