[Elecraft] Radials for Verticals

[Doug Person via Elecraft]

Hi Fred,

Horses, especially my mare (16.2), have huge heads and tiny brains. I am 
always confounded by what she chooses to define as scary.  It is the 
gelding, however, that appears to be in charge of play time. They are 
often a riot to watch when they seem to get a "grass high" on the sweet, 
rich meadow grass.

I have so much wire that a set of radials AND a large loop are very 
possible.  It's just a matter of what time I feel like spending on 
them.  Just finding out how aluminum works as radiator in a wire antenna 
will be interesting.

I don't have any idea what the pH is like in the loamy, old forest floor 
of the meadow.  Never been touched by fertilizer of any kind. So we'll 
have to see whether the aluminum turns to powder or not.

73, Doug -- K0DXV

On 6/30/2014 10:52 AM, Fred Jensen wrote:
> On 6/30/2014 9:37 AM, Doug Person via Elecraft wrote:
>
>> Getting them
>> underground enough so a horse with steel horseshoes won't inadvertently
>> dig one up while engaging in typical horse play ("horsing around" is a
>> phrase with real meaning around here).
>
> We refer to that as a "fruitcake attack."  Never know what provokes it 
> but something gets into their heads.  I've come to the conclusion that 
> there's quite a bit of extra room in their heads. :-))
>
>> So I guess my biggest concern is that the wire will corrode rapidly as
>> K9HZ has suggested in a direct email.  I have numerous lengths of old
>> aluminum lying on the ground at my antenna site.  There does not appear
>> to be the slightest bit of visible corrosion.  But perhaps being
>> literally under ground as opposed to lying on the ground makes a big
>> difference.
>
> I think that will depend on the pH of your soil.  I had some buried 
> #12 Al wire that traversed a flower bed with a couple of Camellias 
> which like acidic soil.  The wire corroded badly in the bed from the 
> fertilizer but the rest was as good as when I buried it when I finally 
> pulled it up.
>
>> I might turn it
>> into a very large loop antenna at about 40 to 50'.
>
> My guess is that you'll be happier with the loop than a non-resonant 
> vertical.  Loops are usually quieter than verticals too, although that 
> may not be a problem for you.
>
> 73,
>
> Fred K6DGW
> - Northern California Contest Club
> - CU in the 2014 Cal QSO Party 4-5 Oct 2014
> - www.cqp.org
>
>
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