[Lowfer] Pounding in a ground rod - NOT FUN

[Ron Barlow]

Hi Andy,

 My memory is very poor, and I didn't intend to pass this info along, until I read your post. That said, I remember the info, exactly as you state it. The best radial system is a non buried system, elevated above the earth, and for the same reason. The fact that any earth that is physically located in the "E" field, between the vertical element, and the radial system, acts like a lossy dielectric, and converts ones precious RF energy to heat.

 IIRC, the source of this info was a booklet, that was printed years ago, by one of the LOWFERS. I believe that the title was something like "Antennas and ground systems for 1750M"   ??? It was a superb (IMHO) source of info, that provided an amazing wealth of info on the subject! Unfortunately, an attempt to locate my copy, was unrewarded.

                                       73 de Ron 

 

 

 

> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:26:03 -0800
> From: ku4xr at yahoo.com
> To: lowfer at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Lowfer] Pounding in a ground rod - NOT FUN
> 
> 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
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> Lowfer mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/lowfer
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Lowfer at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

 		 	   		  
_________________________________________________________________
Windows 7: I wanted simpler, now it's simpler. I'm a rock star.
http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/windows-7/default.aspx?h=myidea?ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_myidea:112009