>From my experience (buried and top of ground):
I have found that the largest diameter wire works the best (jacketed
or bare made no difference). I used whatever 'junk' wire I could
find and the best turned out to be 'unknown' (or I did not care!)
long pieces of coax. Many years ago I ran across 'short' rolls of
coax (200 - 500 feet or so) being sold for $5 a roll (including a lot
of dust). The wire was new and I shorted the center conductor to the
shield at the antenna end.
I also tried number 26 wire and found that it took about 40 radials
before the antenna started to play. With the coax, the same style
antenna started to play at 3 radials.
Some wire I buried and some I left on top of the ground. The only
difference was the soreness of my back. I now 'staple' my radials to
the ground with alumimun fence clips. After a season or so, the
grass and thatch cover just about all the radials and I do not have
any problem with the lawn mower chewing on the wires.
Good luck.
Bruce, WA3AFS
> From: "Tod Olson" <tao@skypoint.com>
> To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Now--- What is the Best Wire for Radials
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 21:15:19 -0500
> Here is a follow on question now that the answers to the
> question, "What is the best antenna wire?", have dropped off.
>
> Ladies and Gentlemen:
>
> In your opinion, what is the best choice for the wire to be used
> as radials for a vertical antenna.
> (a). Where the radials will be buried.
> (b). Where the radials will lie on the surface of the ground.
> (c). Where the radials will be elevated (6" or more) above the
> surface of the ground.
>
> If you feel that the actual type of soil (clay, loam, sand, etc.)
> will make a difference in your answer to (a) above, please
> indicate in what way.
>
> Thanks in advance for any responses.
>
> Tod Olson, K0TO
>
>
>
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>
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