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Re: [TowerTalk] Raised Radial Spacing

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Raised Radial Spacing
From: Mike Fatchett W0MU <w0mu@w0mu.com>
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2025 19:59:05 -0600
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
You don't need 1/4 wave radials. Do what you can, you can fold them back on each other.  You can use varying lengths.  You can use a mesh of chicken wire if you wish.  I would not want a bunch of raised radials in my backyard.  Make sure nobody can touch them.

W0MU

On 10/24/2025 5:03 PM, Dale Dean wrote:
I have a SteppIR BigIR vertical that I am refurbishing.  It will be installed 
in a small backyard that does not allow for the normal ground radial system 
(such as 60 ea at 33').  I will need to go to 2 ea tuned elevated radials for 
each band (80 thru 10 - 8 bands).  My solution (I think the only one I have due 
to lot restrictions) is to run the radials along the vinyl fence.  The vertical 
is mounted on a 4x4 post at 5 feet above the ground.  One direction has about 
70' of length (straight) but the other direction has a 90-degree turn about 20 
feet down from the antenna and then a straight shot the rest of the lengths so 
the radials for 80, 40, and 30 will have a 90-degree bend at that point and 
then continue on straight.  All the radials will follow the fence line so they 
will not be spaced out is a circular distribution from the antenna.  There will 
be about 1 to 2 feet of horizonal spacing in the plane for 4 bands (80, 40, 30 
and 20).  I will do a similar install for the 17, 15, 12
   and 10m bands but will have them be 1 to 2 feet down vertically from the 1st 
set of radials.  Hopefully, this is clear and not confusing - I do not think I 
am able to post a diagram of what I want to try.

Couple of questions:

Will this work?

What is the minimum spacing horizontally and vertically for the radials as 
proposed?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Dale
AF7WH
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