Running Radials the Easy Way -- Sew What? - Articles Forum at eHam.net

$\'\'$

$\'\'$

$\'\'$

eHam.net Forum : Articles : Running Radials the Easy Way -- Sew What?

Forum Help

1-10 of 42 messages

Page 1 of 5 Next

Running Radials the Easy Way -- Sew What?	Reply
by W9PMZ on November 2, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
1. Cut grass very short. 2. Lay radial(s) on ground. 3. Attach one end of the radial(s) to common point. 4. Attach 16 penny nail to the other end, pull taught, push nail 6" or 10" in the ground (this really makes the radial taught). 5. In a few weeks the radials are mostly covered. 6. In a month you won't notice them. 7. Next season, where are they? 73, Carl - W9PMZ

RE: Running Radials the Easy Way -- Sew What?	Reply
by NI0C on November 2, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
Most of the literature on radials for ground mounted verticals indicates there is no need to cut radials to specific lengths for specific bands as they are detuned by their proximity to the earth. I've always simply cut radials to fit the space available, and have never measured one. 73, Chuck NI0C

Running Radials the Easy Way -- Sew What?	Reply
by NN4RH on November 2, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
I'm guessing based on this "creative idea" that you've never actually laid out radials yourself, have you? Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go through when you could much more easily accomplish the same thing by just cutting the grass short, stretching them out on the ground, pinning them down where needed, and then giving Mother Nature a couple weeks or so to "sew" them into the thatch for you. By the way, you don't have to cut radials for resonance on each band if they're going to be in/on the ground. And by bundling ground radials together in "sets", you're wasting wire.

Running Radials the Easy Way -- Sew What?	Reply
by NY7Q on November 2, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
I cut my radials, coiled into one foot diameter, and laid at bottom of antenna...works great....and I used different colors for each band.... an ole timer suggested I try it,,,by gosh, it works. I had them spread all over the yard at one time...never again....

Running Radials the Easy Way -- Sew What?	Reply
by N0AH on November 2, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
I've been uing my great uncle's Singer Ground Laying sewing lawn machine for years. It can a bit testy with crab grass, but can run a sewed line of 40 radials of 18 guage wire across your everyday lawn in about two hours. It cross stiches 4 inches deep using 80lb test line to hold the radial wire down and I swear, you can cut the yard as short as a Georgia putting green without hitting a fiber of wire on the surface. I heard MFJ is about to steal the patent so you know it has to be good-

Running Radials the Easy Way -- Sew What?	Reply
by K1DA on November 2, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
Is this an "April Fool" article? Length should be whatever fits and use cut off lengths of coathanger in a "U" shape to hold them down until they sink into the sod.

RE: Running Radials the Easy Way -- Sew What?	Reply
by N7WS on November 2, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
What's all this talk of "sod", "grass", "lawn mowers", etc? Pretty presumptuous that we all have these things in our yards. In my case, it's Saguaro, Prickly Pear and Cholla cactus, Ironwood trees and other sticky stuff. I've used the technique for years of using a 20 foot length of 3/8" rebar as a "needle" to lay radials through and under these plants. I use a small stainless steel hose clamp to attach the wire to the rebar and either push or pull it, depending on circumstances, through the vegetation at or below ground level. The 3/8" diameter is limber enough to deflect around stubborn roots and light enough to be handled with relative ease. Wes Stewart, N7WS

RE: Running Radials the Easy Way -- Sew What?	Reply
by K5END on November 2, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
Scoffers, think about it. Depending on your climate and the season, "sewing" radials might not be such a bad idea. True, if they are laid taught on short grass (or with lawn staples) they'll be "ingrown" as long as the grass is still active and growing. But at this time of year that may not work everywhere. Aside from that, everything I have read suggests that cutting ground radials to tune for the bands is not effective. Some people use chicken wire to lay down a ground mat instead of individual radial wires. They swear by it.

RE: Running Radials the Easy Way -- Sew What?	Reply
by W9PMZ on November 2, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
"I cut my radials, coiled into one foot diameter, and laid at bottom of antenna...works great....and I used different colors for each band...." Intersting... 1. As it has been said length is probably not that important so long as they are at least .1WL long at the lowest frequency and as many as possible. 2. Intuitively, I don't see how coiling them works, at least to help optimize return loss. But it's an exercise for EZNEC. 3. I have 100 33' radials under my Hustler 5BTV that I think work pretty good, 40-10 and OK on 75. But 75 is limited because of the resonator. I can't imagine coiling that much wire at the base of the antenna. 73, Carl - W9PMZ

RE: Running Radials the Easy Way -- Sew What?	Reply
by AF6AU on November 2, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
I use a gas powered edger, equipped with a new blade, and pull it along, that way the cut groove is nice and clean. Some guys use a hand muscle powered edger, but that's like work. Some metal bladed electrics will work, but forget the rechargable ones. Lay in the wire, and hose the loose dirt back. No need to go deep either, shallow is fine. Can lay 16 radials in a couple hours easy, and you don't bend over or work on your knees a lot. I use insulated wire, for the most part, it lasts longer. However I mix in a couple heavy bare lines too, for those days when you have pissed off God and he throws a lightning bolt your way. JML AF6AU

Page 1 of 5 Next

Next Topic: Sweden Bans Polluting PLT Equipment:
Previous Topic: Hand-Held Ham Ops Rescue Man Who Had Fallen 40 Feet on Catal

This discussion is regarding an item in the Articles area of eHam.net.

View the item being discussed

Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this topic.

Check our help page for help using Forum, or send questions, comments, or suggestions to the Forum Manager.

$\'\'$