[Elecraft] Radials for Verticals

[Doug Person via Elecraft]

Thanks for all the advice guys.  The situation requires that the radials 
be placed at least slightly below the surface.  I'm always faced with 
the fact that my land is surrounded by open range which means that 
hundreds of head of cattle roam freely.  If my new fence charger fails 
then the cows will break the fence to get to the lush grass and hay 
storage reserved for my horses.  So, in order for the radials to not get 
tangled in the legs of my 1200lb kids as well as the elk, moose and deer 
that constantly move through my land, elevated radials would need to 
something like 20' in the air (moose are really big).  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).

My soil is about 10-14" of old forest loam (what we call here "duff") on 
top of a rocky layer followed by a substantial layer of clay.  An old 
chainsaw chain on a small saw will cut a groove through it like the 
proverbial knife through butter.  That should make getting it down about 
6" a simple task.  Soil conductivity changes dramatically depending on 
the season.  Moisture is held in the soil for many days after a 
rainstorm.  But by the dry season in August, its dry as dust. Winter 
here starts in October and lasts to April during which the ground is 
frozen solid to several feet.

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.

So thanks for the reading links and suggestions.  I'll have to give this 
some serious time to study before deciding what to do.  I might turn it 
into a very large loop antenna at about 40 to 50'.  Having been attached 
to plastic insulators on 5' fence posts for the last 10 years, it shows 
absolutely no corrosion.  So I know it can stand up to the weather just 
fine.

73 and much thanks for the responses.

Doug -- K0DXV (Western slope of the Rockies at 8200+ feet)