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Re: Topband: Confusion in ON4UN's Low Band DXing radial lengthcalculatio

To: Tree <tree@kkn.net>, Topband <topband@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: Confusion in ON4UN's Low Band DXing radial lengthcalculations.
From: k1fz@myfairpoint.net
Reply-to: k1fz@myfairpoint.net
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 11:13:17 -0500
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
    Thanks Tree
  
Similar to a BOG antenna that self terminates beyond a length per band/frequency. Exceptions:  dry sand  & other non conductive surfaces
  
 73
 Bruce-K1FZ

On Fri, 19 Dec 2014 07:07:35 -0800, Tree <tree@kkn.net> wrote:
Radials on the ground do not have a magic length. Worrying about resonance
> for them is not necessary. >
 > If you tune a quarter wave wire up in the air - then lay it onto the ground
 > - it couples to the ground and is no longer a distinct single piece of
 > wire. Just make them an easy length to deal with and put as many of them
> down as you can. >
 > Tree N6TR
 >
 > On Fri, Dec 19, 2014 at 2:28 AM, Doug Turnbull <turnbull@net1.ie> wrote:
 >
 > > Brian,
 > > I understand that the VF varies with soil type. One could just
> > compensate by being conservative but who wants to use 30/40% more wire than
 > > needed. Why does the ON4UN book ignore VF when doing the example
 > > problems?
 > > Should I shorten to take into account VF?
 > >
 > > 73 Doug EI2CN
 > >
 > > -----Original Message-----
 > > From: k8bhz@hughes.net [mailto:k8bhz@hughes.net]
 > > Sent: 19 December 2014 00:08
 > > To: Doug Turnbull; Topband@contesting.com
 > > Subject: Re: Topband: Confusion in ON4UN's Low Band DXing radial
> > lengthcalculations. > >
 > > Hello Doug,
 > >
> > The 50-60% figure depends on your soil conditions, so may vary quite a bit. > > With my poor, sandy soil, the Vf is 67.7% with the radials laying on the
 > > ground. When I buried them 6", the Vf was 39.8%. Using these shortened
> > radials, there wasn't much improvement going beyond 16 radials. > >
 > > To find out your soil conditions, simply lay a temporary dipole on the
> > ground and use an analyzer to find it's resonance. Then trim to length. Now
 > > you have your first two radials!
 > >
 > > Good luck
 > >
 > > Brian K8BHZ
 > >
 > > -----Original Message-----
 > > From: Doug Turnbull
 > > Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2014 4:18 PM
 > > To: topband@contesting.com
 > > Subject: Topband: Confusion in ON4UN's Low Band DXing radial
> > lengthcalculations. > >
 > > Dear OMs and Yls,
 > >
 > > I am replacing raised radials for 160M inverted L with ground mounted
 > > radials mostly because I could not readily get the raised radials up high
> > enough in my wood and also because of maintenance problems. > >
 > >
 > >
 > > This inverted L goes up 100 feet at its top before levelling out for
> > the final 32' or so. It should I believe have a strong vertical element. > >
 > >
 > >
 > > ON4UN's book Low-Band DXing 56th edition is generally excellent but
 > > I
 > > do find the coverage of ground radials both confusing and somewhat
 > > contradictory. This surprises me for what is pretty much considered the
> > bible. > >
 > >
 > >
 > > On page 9-14 the text states that the velocity factor falls for
 > > ground mounted radials to the "the order of 50-60%, which means that a
 > > radial that is physically 20 meters long is actually a half-wave long
 > > electrically!" This example is for 80M not 160M. However in the
 > > examples
 > > found on page 9-15 the velocity factor change is ignored. I understand
 > > the velocity factor change and have always accepted this. It generally
 > > did
 > > not pay to try and cut radials precisely to a given wavelength. I accept
> > the radial length vs. radial number charts but is this an electrical length
 > > in free space or a length considerably reduced due to velocity factory
 > > change? Example 3 ignores velocity factor correction and from what I can
 > > see this correction is ignore in most of the text concerning ground
> > radials. > > What does one do? Who does one believe. > >
 > >
 > >
 > > While I am talking about a 160M inverted L; I did reference the
 > > SteppIR BigIR vertical manual, page 18. Lengths should be scalable. I
 > > find no mention of velocity factor and the shortening effect which is
 > > experienced. The recommendations are not very different from those in
 > > ON4UNs book. So does this mean one ignores the change in velocity factor?
 > >
 > >
 > >
 > > I appreciate some guidance with this matter. I would like a
 > > radial field which would take me to within 0.5/1 dB of the maximum
> > achievable for reducing near field losses. > >
 > >
 > >
 > > 73 Doug EI2CN
 > >
 > >
 > >
 > >
 > >
 > >
 > >
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 > >
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 >
 >

  
  

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