[Lowfer] Pounding in a ground rod - NOT FUN

[Andy - KU4XR]

Hello All:

Good comments continue on the subject, and I appreciate the input.
Thanks John - F5VLF for your comments. I plan to put at least 2 
more rods in the ground, but next time, an 8 foot rod, cut into 
2 - 4 foot sections, and space them about 8 feet from the long rod.
Plus with the new insight, The next holes will be dug out first,
and treated with " Kitty Litter " with clay and bentonite, and 
mixed with the top soil to retain the ground minerals that Stan
alluded to, then drive the rod in. I may check with a local well
driller to see if I can get Bentonite clay thru them. It depends 
on the cost.

Hey Steve; haven't seen any posts from you in awhile. I am currently
using the # 17 aluminum fence wire for a radial system, but it does
have serious limitations in durability I have found out. After just
a short period in contact with the soil, and moisture; it begins to
corrode rapidly, and will break easily at any bent, or knicked
place in the wire. And, when I installed the wires, I hammered in 
the " J " hooks to hold them down. With the bare wire, this turned
out to be a very bad corrosion point, and tends to break even 
faster there. As you mentioned though; it's cheap, and can be 
replaced easily. My plans for the future radials are to use
insulated copper wire to minimize the corrosion, and moisture effect.

That brings to mind the question from Joe; Idle-Tyme about radials
that are insulated or not. There's probably a variety of ideas on
that subject, And I am concentrating mainly on the LOWfer antenna
aspect. Many do bury non-insulated radials, and for different
reasons. But from the information I have read concerning a LOWfer
antenna, and specifically speaking of a vertical with top-hat.
At LF frequencies, the antenna acts as if it were a giant capacitor,
with the RF charge moving between the plates of the capacitor
which would be the top-hat and the ground radials. As it was put in
one article I read, ( I'm sorry I can't remember who ), burying the
bare wire radials will in effect be creating a " Dirty " capacitor,
and lower its efficiency. If that is the case, ( I'm not sure ), and 
it probably depends somewhat on your soil conductivity, It would
cause me to think that insulated wire, on top of the soil would
perform better. It will also lessen the effects of the noted
" Wet Ground " problem. With this idea; an elevated radial system,
a few inches above ground might be optimum, but this will also
pose many problems with antennas being in yards, mowing issues,
animal issues, and others. So most will lay them on the top of the
soil, and let the grass cover them.

Joe also asked which would " last longer " Galvanized, or Aluminum ?
Galvanized steel will last longer in the elements, but I think has 
a lower electrical conductivity than Aluminum.

This has been interesting, and has helped me to determine future
efforts on my antenna system for " XR " 

73 everyone ::::



Andy - KU4XR - EM75xr - Friendsville, TN.
LOWfer Beacon " XR " @ 185.29866 KHz ( QRSS-60 )
Coordinates:  N:  35* 43' 54" - W:  84* 3' 16"
http://www.myspace.com/beaconxr