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Re: Topband: Inverted L in contact with leaves

To: N4ZR <n4zr@comcast.net>, topband reflector <Topband@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: Inverted L in contact with leaves
From: AB2E Darrell <ab2e@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2019 16:18:57 +0000
List-post: <mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Hi Pete,
No effect noticed here for leaves with L wire running over tree.
I just reinstalled my 160m Inverted - L on a taller tree (fed 10ft off ground, 
80ft vertical , about 52ft horizontal). It's been up all summer with leaves, it 
goes over the top of 95ft oak. My vertical wire is #12 THHN, insulated solid 
copper. I have 5 tuned radials of the same wire, but thinner gauge is also OK. 
I feed it with a 1:1 Balun Designs balun. I trimmed it slightly but it 
resonates about 1845 and gives me all the CW band. Tested with Acom 2000A at 
1500W out....seems very stable as before mounted on a  shorter tree at about 
65ft.

Pete, even 1 tuned radial for your L, you should see it working and loading up 
OK if you want to test.

I used to easily find the tech supplement online from Butternut for tuned 
radials, but it looks like it's now gone.
Check this document out 
https://rudys.typepad.com/files/elevated-ground-systems-article-final-version.pdf
 . N6LF did some modelling and looks very similar to ON4UN's conclusions in his 
lowband book that 4 tuned radials achieve 60% of the efficiency of 100+ radials 
on the ground. Some may dispute this, but I've never had enough real estate to 
put down a full ground radial field of 100+, but I do have room to put up 4 
elevated radials. They can slope, go up and down but if you can, mount them 
about 10ft above ground.
The tuned radials are about 3.5% shorter than the 1/4wave element (see the 
formula). I cut them all the same as the element, and then gradually shorten 
them to adjust for resonance, depending on how the SWR looks.

In the past, the L has worked great for me. I now have about 115 countries 
confirmed on 160, all with an L.

73 and best of luck with the project,
Darrell AB2E


________________________________
From: Topband <topband-bounces@contesting.com> on behalf of N4ZR 
<n4zr@comcast.net>
Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2019 11:23 AM
To: topband reflector <Topband@contesting.com>
Subject: Topband: Inverted L in contact with leaves

My inverted L is taking shape - about 60 vertical, the rest horizontal.
For a couple of months anyway, it is touching a number of leaves in the
vertical section.  I assume that's not a concern, but thought I'd ask
before I get a lot of radials down. First short radial is down and
MFJ-259 results look promising.  It's just a problem of waiting for lawn
mowing to stop hi.

--

73, Pete N4ZR
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