[HCARC] Vertical Antenna Radial System

[Gary and Arlene Johnson]

Bob

I would love your input.  I would be extremely happy to work 125 countries.  This antenna has the 80 meter top coil assembly already on it.  They say it will tune 80,40, 20, 15, and 10, with another option for it to tune 17 meters if I care to purchase it.  A good question is if used with an antenna tuner will it tune 6, 17, and 30 and 60 using the tuner??  How about 160 or is that pushing the capabilites too far.  Right now I would be tickled with the antennas tuned freqs.

I am going to have to pretty much disassemble the complete antenna (per Gales instruction) and clean up some years of aluminum crud on it.  Dale G. said he will help me with his antenna analyzer on any and all of my antennas so I should be good to go there also.

"PS - No need to spend that kind of money on a radial plate. I'll tell you more, later"  Trust me, I doubt I will be spending that kind of money on a radial plate anytime soon.  There are many other places to use money that are way better than this - I can think of several places off the top of my head from Elecraft - and even those things aren't needed - BUT!!!!

You know - having the Reflector is like having a dozen or so Elmers - that's pretty hard to beat, and hopefully others learn at the same time.  I need to drop by Dale's Tech Class and talk to them about HCARC and it's importance in their learning.

Gary J
N5"BAA"
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: ALoneStarYank at aol.com 
  To: qltfnish at omniglobal.net ; hcarc at mailman.qth.net 
  Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 4:40 PM
  Subject: Re: [HCARC] Vertical Antenna Radial System


  Gary,
     If you'd like my input concerning this subject, it will take me a few days to put my thoughts into an email which will answer all of your questions. When I was a "newbie" at one point I owned a Hustler 6BTV for about 5 years (I also purchased the 80 meter top coil assembly. The 5BTV is exactly the same, minus the 80 meter section.). This antenna is lovenly referred to as a "6 Band Trapped Dummy Load". It has no gain, BUT it will work fine if properly installed. I easily worked over 125 countries with it. If you have an antenna analyzer, it is a snap to assemble, and tune for each band so that no tuner will be needed. As you know, an HF vertical antenna picks up more man-made electrical noise. For a "newbie", it's a great antenna for the price. You must, however, assemble it correctly for it to work properly. You also need a choke balun right at the antenna connections to the coax in the form of 8-10 tightly wound turns of whatever coax you decide to use. Not doing this may cause rf to flow back down the coax shield and into your shack causing you to possibly get rf burns while touching the rig even if it's grounded.  

   PS - No need to spend that kind of money on a radial plate. I'll tell you more, later.

  Bob W2IK

  In a message dated 10/10/2012 4:09:20 P.M. Central Daylight Time, qltfnish at omniglobal.net writes:
    Almost everything I read about putting radials down for a vertical antenna has a radically different answer.  In many cases they preface their recommendations with "it depends on how conductive your ground is".  Since I am on typical to better than typical Hill Country rocky ledge soil, what kind of radial system will I need.  When I say my land is better than the average Hill Country soil I mean that compared to the Hunt Ingram area with its almost all rock, and compared to the soil around the area North of Tierra Linda which is almost all rock, I have some good soil and some rocky areas.  I do have to garden in raised beds and I do drill holes with my Big Hammer drill for T-post installation.   I surely do not have as good a soil as the alluvial plains along the river.  My questions are: 1) what should the center plate should be made from - copper, brass, aluminum, stainless steel???  Would a ring of soft copper A/C freon line work vs a plate??  2) what metal should the rad
    ials be made from copper, aluminum and what gauge??  (3) how to attach - nuts and bolts, silver soldered, regular electrical soldered and last 4) how many radials??  I have heard anything from 4-120 recommended.  DX engineering says 60 for the Hustler 5-btv antenna I picked up from Gale H. yesterday, but that number matches the number of holes and bolts on the $150.00 radial plate system they sell - i.e. they probably have some bias.  One thing I have heard is "the more the better", but that probably has a level of diminishing returns.

    73's

    Gary J
    N5"BAA"
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