I've been asked about my statement saying artificial ground counterpoise
wires should be 1/2 w. This was incorrect. I went back and rechecked my
old reading. 1/4 w. wires should work fine. I confused these with 1/4 w.
runs to actual earth grounds. It's my understanding that in the latter
case, inductive reactance is at a minumum at the rod and at maximum at odd
quarter wavelengths along the ground run at the operating frequency (i.e. on
ten meters make your strap to a rod < 8 feet or ~ 16 feet). Apparently if
the strap or wire isn't connected to anything at the far end the odd quarter
wave avoidance rule doesn't matter and the wire becomes something akin to a
radial at the base of a vertical antenna. I apologize for the confusion.
Rob Atkinson
K5UJ
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