[Elecraft] radials or counterpoise

[Stuart Rohre]

Lloyd, it is not clear, are you considering using a random wire, or a tuned
quarter wave vertical?

Either way more radials are better.   As Trev pointed out 8 is within
reason.  Remember the radial lying in a direction of a station you want to
work will add 3 dB to your received and transmitted signal, if conditions
are optimum.   Having a multi directional ground screen under quarter wave
vertical is how broadcast stations develop an omnidirectional pattern.  But,
if you have radials every 3 degrees you would have almost the effect of
continuos screen.   Since hams are not in every direction as few as 8 or
sometimes 4 radials will still provide many contacts.

The traditional quarter wave radial is detuned if upon the ground or under
it, thus as Trev pointed out a shorter radial may be adequate, if you have
many of them.  Some use one radial for the lowest band, and it functions for
all higher.  Others parallel near tuned radials for each band, but they
would have to be fanned out to not interact and detune each other.   The
compromise is if you do not have enough distance in all directions; then,
you do what you can in the directions you can use.  Some are better than
none, and a ground rod does not replace or function as a radial.  You need
to project the image of the antenna field leaving the radiator down to the
ground and have a return conductor there for optimum results in returning
the current to the base of the antenna radiating element and your feed
point.

72,
Stuart
K5KVH