A counterpoise on the ground or buried a short distance [~5-10 cm] is a
low resistance path in parallel with the much higher ground resistance
for the return current for unbalanced antennas [verticals, end-fed
wires, etc.] They're often called radials or ground-screens, and in
general, more is better, but one is a whole lot better than none. The
return current decreases rapidly away from the antenna so more shorter
radials is usually better than a few longer ones. Such a counterpoise
wire is effectively grounded regardless of what you do at the end. If
it feels better to tie it to a stake in the ground, by all means do so.
An elevated counterpoise is just another element in your antenna. Length
matters. For a single wire fed at the end, if the counterpoise is the
same length as the wire and elevated, it's a center-fed dipole again
[whether or not it is resonant]. In the field, mine lays on the ground
and is about 1.5 ft longer than the wire [~25 ft].
If you're next to salt water, toss it in. MF survival radios [500 Kcs]
from WW2 had a balloon or kite to raise the wire, and a weighted braid
to toss over the side of your raft.
73,
Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County
On 6/11/17 1:44 PM, Gerry Miller wrote:
Does one ground to earth, the far end of an HF counterpoise or just let it
float above ground at a field location? I had always believed it should not be
grounded.
Gerry Miller, AA2ZJ
[email protected]
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