[OKDXA] DX, on 160

Fri, 22 Nov 2002 09:09:26 -0600

Hi Everyone,

I did this while I lived on a city lot in Colorado.  It worked well.  The 
lawn had completely gobbled up the radials in a single summer, and that was 
Kentucky Bluegrass.  The Bermuda grass we have here will probably consume 
all evidence of radials in about a week or so. I used small-gauge 
Copperweld because I had lots of it and, after about 5 years, there was 
still copper on it, but I'd probably use solid copper from Home Depot were 
I to do this again.

Once I get the vertical dipole, and then get it up in the air, I'll let you 
know how it does on 80 and 160.  Unfortunately, I don't have lots of time 
to operate, what with a 4 yr old and her 2 1/2 year old brother to contend 
with. Usually, their Mom and I are ready to hit the hay at about 9 pm; not 
good for the low bands!  But, I'll do my best :)

73,

Kim Elmore, N5OP

At 08:19 PM 11/21/2002 -0600, you wrote:
>Yes I have been listening to the activity on 160m.  Very good conditions
>indeed!
>
>One thing I have not tried, but heard that works very well is to lay the
>radials flat and pin them with homemade horseshoe hooks made of 12 gauge
>solid wire.  It is like stampling the wire to the ground.  When spring time
>comes the grass will grow over and push the wire just under the soil.  It
>may save some time relaying radial wire every year.  Note I do NOT practice
>what I preach!!  :-)
>
>Also a good friend gave me some free galvanize fence wire a long time ago.
>I was poor, young, and going to school.  I thought this was a land fall and
>worked laying out many feet of the free wire.
>
>Well it worked for a few weeks till the corrosion set in.  So live and
>learn!  The galvanize wire also made a great diode detector for AM broadcast
>radio.  This was not good for the receiver and made the transmitter sound
>more like spark one complete with FB RFI to the neighborhood!  20 years ago
>we didn't have Home Depot or Lowes that has 500 foot roll of 12 gauge copper
>wire for under $15.
>
>Now if I care to climb the tower in the dark to install the shut fed so I
>can hear Clif!
>
>Best Regards!
>
>73 de w5jay..
>
> > Good stuff Jay.  I use electric fence wire from Home Depot for radials.
>At the end of the season I take it up and throw it away because you cannot
>keep it straight, ha.
> >
> > 160m is busy tonite with contest stations getting ready for the weekend.
> >
> > Jim
> > >
> > > From: "Jay Bromley" <[email protected]>
> > > Date: 2002/11/19 Tue PM 01:27:06 EST
> > > To: "Clifton Sikes" <[email protected]>,
> > > <[email protected]>
> > > Subject: Re: [OKDXA] DX, on 160
> > >
> > > Hi Clif and gang again,
> > >
> > > One thing I forgot to comment on is the radials.  More smaller ones are
> > > better than a few long ones.  Elevated ones are better than those on the
> > > ground.  Radials on top of the soil  have less loss than ones buried.
>Try
> > > to put out 40-70 radials and cut them to 75ft.  If you have the room and
> > > wire then by all means make then a 1/4 wave long which is around 120
>feet.
> > > The ideas is to have very low loss at the bottom of the antenna were the
> > > current is.  So more is better here, not just one long one!  Elevated
>feeds
> > > can get by with 2 to 4 radials if the ground losses are low and it also
> > > depends on the height of the ground plane antenna
> > >
> > > Also on your inverted L, if you are using a 1/4 you might want to try a
>3/8
> > > wave.  It will move the current up a little and the losses at the base
>are
> > > not as great.  You match it with a simple series capacitor at the base.
>You
> > > could go to a 1/2, but most folks don't have the support to make the
>center
> > > vertical,  so the 3/8 is a good compromise!  If I remember a 3/8 on 160m
>is
> > > 177 to 180 feet long.  Matching a 1/2 on 160m is no fun with high power
> > > because you are voltage feeding!
> > >
> > > If anyone needs the exact measurements of the radials, capacitor, or any
>of
> > > the above I can e-mail them later.
> > >
> > > Have fun and 73 de jay..
> > >
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> > >
> >
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                           Kim Elmore, Ph.D.
                        University of Oklahoma
         Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies
"All of weather is divided into three parts: Yes, No, and Maybe. The
greatest of these is Maybe" The original Latin appears to be garbled.