dual band 80/40 homebrew vertical... what a waste of my day

[wavrider]

http://www.bencher.com/pdfs/00361ZZV.pdf
some reading on radials ground.

now more confusion
The Mystery of radials

Counterpoise Systems

look under counterpoise lf,hf,and mf applications radials.

The old myth of more is better stands to reason. Yet installing 120 ground radials is not worth the time and labor if 24 radials is as efficient as 120. Cost savings on copper wire, time and of course labor.

What BJ posted holds true, get a working model with a few ground radials, and start adding more from there.

 

[mr_fx]

well another thought... I never bothered to add a ground rod to this antenna... further more, why not tie the steel 2 car detached garage, the metal shed, the HUGE chainlink fence and the steel roof above my attached garage into the counterpoise system?

 

[W5LZ]

Try it and see what happens. I know that once upon a time I used the chain-link fence around my yard as a 'ground'. It just so happened to go around a few other yards next to me (whole neighborhood connected by the fences). You wouldn't believe the complaints that resulted in. Un-did the fence and they quit complaining. Keep in mind that 'counterpoise' becomes part of the radiating antenna system...
- 'Doc

 

[hookedon6]

using a chain link fence can be great,......... or it can really sux.

the individual wires are NOT really connected and they sometimes and sometimes do not contact each other resulting in intermittent grounding and NOISE in the reciever.

good luck