Doug,
I am using a Butternut HF2V vertical on 80 and 40 meters. The HF2V is a
base loaded ground mounted antenna. The HF2V is sitting atop 24 radials
separated 15 degrees apart from each other. Half of the radials are 66
feet long; the remaining 12 radials are each 32 feet long.
I used a sidewalk grass edger and removed the sidewalk guide to cut
slots 2 inches deep into the ground. I had a "fishtail" dandelion cutter
that I used to push 1100 feet of #10 copper wire down into the slots. I
used a chalk line to guide the edger. It worked like a dream come true.
The HF2V is sited on 2 acres in the open with no bends in the radials.
The radials are connected to two 8 foot long copper coated ground rods
bonded together. They are bonded to the base of the HF2V just above the
fiberglass rod insulator. The rods and antenna are bonded together with
a short piece of #6 stranded copper wire. The hardest job for me, now
nearing 80 years old, was driving in the ground rods. I used a fence
post driver until the bottom of its tube touched the ground, and then
finished with an 8 pound sledgehammer. I guess pneumatic and even
electrical impact drivers are now available for that job. But, I was
lucky in that no rocks were in the way of the ground rods driven into
fertile central Ohio farmland.
The results were amazing. SWR of 1.0:1 at 3585 KHz; SWR 1.2:1 at
7045KHz. Bandwidth on 80 M between 2.0:1 points is 73 KHz; on 40 meters
- a bandwidth of 96 KHz. I also have a Cushcraft R8 vertical with no
radials except those a part of the antenna. The base of the R8 is 12
feet above ground with a SWR of 1.8:1 at 7045 KHz. It has a bandwidth of
14 KHz between 2.0:1 SWR points. The HF2V puts the R8 to shame. The HF2V
has proved to be my long haul antenna to work into JA, UA0, YB, 3W2,
E21, FR, FO, etc. from central Ohio.
I didn't skimp on wire. I don't know how symmetry of the radials affects
performance. My radials are perfectly symmetrical laid out using a
rafter framing square and chalk line. I used the center of the tops of
ground rods that extend two inches above ground as the focus. Yes, the
wire was somewhat pricey, but it paid off for me. The aluminum wire
that you have should work just fine placed in the ground in your grassy
meadow. I can't comment on 43 foot verticals as I have no experience
with them. I found that the more wire in the ground, the better the
antenna operation. You will be pleasantly pleased. Good luck with it.
73 John W8UL
On 6/29/2014 3:07 PM, Doug Person via Elecraft wrote:
Most people would think we're well into Summer. Not here in the High
Rockies. Summer here has just begun. Time to mend some fences. Now
the point: I just pulled about a mile of #11 soft drawn aluminum wire
- mostly in 50' to 100' lengths. Normally its electrified and the
cattle won't touch it. But last year the charger died and the cattle
just shredded the wire to get into my grassy meadow.
So now I have all this aluminum wire that I would hate to throw away.
So I'm thinking of making a really good ground plane and putting up a
vertical of some kind. I have enough scrap tubing to make about 38'
or so. I was thinking of putting a remote tuner at the base of the
vertical as the length of coax to reach it will probably be at least
150'.
So I'd be interested in comments on how to configure the radials in
terms of length and number. I know there's some guys on this
reflector that real know a lot about this sort of thing.
Thanks & 73,
Doug -- K0DXV
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