Re: Topband: Radials in the desert
Thank you to all that responded to my call for ideas. I'll keep the group informed as to what worked, what didn't and the final resolution. Good DXing 73 Chet VE3CFK From: Topband on behalf of topband-requ...@contesting.com Sent: June 20, 2018 12:00 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Topband Digest, Vol 186, Issue 17 Send Topband mailing list submissions to topband@contesting.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://nam05.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flists.contesting.com%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ftopband=02%7C01%7C%7Cddc6fe4799174b81925108d5d6c6f5e9%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C636651072386189484=T5CgNnSHqGtO1ht0bv4efSv5zXVrAjCpd2%2FKciR7jzo%3D=0 or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to topband-requ...@contesting.com You can reach the person managing the list at topband-ow...@contesting.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Topband digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Radials in the desert (Chester Latawiec) 2. Re: Radials in the desert (MICHAEL ST ANGELO) 3. Re: Radials in the desert (Brian Pease) 4. Re: Radials in the desert (vk...@bigpond.com) 5. Re: Radials in the desert (Mike Furrey) 6. Re: Radials in the desert (Grant Saviers) -- Message: 1 Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2018 12:06:07 + From: Chester Latawiec To: "topband@contesting.com" Subject: Topband: Radials in the desert Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Any suggestions on burying radials in the desert sands of Kingman AZ? Radials placed on the surface just stay there and are constant tripping hazards. The desert sand is like rock. The top 1/4 inch is loose sand but below that it's like rock. You vertually need a pick axe to loosen the sublayer. One option is to pick axe a shallow trench for each radial in the desert sun, but tripping over the radials would be a better alternative. Any suggestions? I'm really getting tired of tripping over the radials of Jess, AI9L's radial field. 73 Chet VE3CFK _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Radials in the desert
The function of radials is to collect the radiation from your antenna that splashes on the ground and deliver it back to the antenna feedpoint for recycling. As such, if you decide to trench into the hard subsoil, don't go deep. Alternatively, you can lay the radials on top of that hard layer and rake small amounts of loose sand to barely cover it, and/or use markers to warn human foot traffic. Charles, W2SH From: Topband on behalf of Mike Furrey Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2018 11:55 AM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Radials in the desert Once a driveway was in the way of radials ... a cement blade on a circular saw fixed that. That may work FB on soft sandstone. 73, Mike WA5POK On Wednesday, June 20, 2018 9:23 AM, MICHAEL ST ANGELO wrote: Chet, Have you tried digging a shallow trench with an edge trimmer? They are also known as edgers. Mike N2MS > On June 20, 2018 at 8:06 AM Chester Latawiec wrote: > > > > Any suggestions on burying radials in the desert sands of Kingman AZ? > Radials placed on the surface just stay there and are constant tripping > hazards. > The desert sand is like rock. The top 1/4 inch is loose sand but below that > it's like rock. You vertually need a pick axe to loosen the sublayer. One > option is to pick axe a shallow trench for each radial in the desert sun, but > tripping over the radials would be a better alternative. > Any suggestions? > I'm really getting tired of tripping over the radials of Jess, AI9L's radial > field. > 73 > Chet VE3CFK > > > Sent from my Samsung device > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband Topband Archives - Contesting Online Home<http://www.contesting.com/_topband> www.contesting.com Topband Mailing List Archives. Search String: [How to search] Display:. Description:. Sort: _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Radials in the desert
Small ditch diggers are usually available at Home Depot here and certainly at rental yards. For aggregated materials try and find one with carbide teeth, which last 10x longer than hardened steel. Also, cable companies use what is essentially a carbide toothed circular saw blade trencher, just big enough for RG6 or RG11. I think that is what you need to rent or find a cable co. moonlighter for some Saturday work. A rental concrete saw is another choice. Some folks even use a chain saw for the slot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BREu_xZ4ybc Or replacing tines of a roto-tiller with carbide tipped blades, but that takes a bit of metal working Grant KZ1W On 6/20/2018 5:06 AM, Chester Latawiec wrote: Any suggestions on burying radials in the desert sands of Kingman AZ? Radials placed on the surface just stay there and are constant tripping hazards. The desert sand is like rock. The top 1/4 inch is loose sand but below that it's like rock. You vertually need a pick axe to loosen the sublayer. One option is to pick axe a shallow trench for each radial in the desert sun, but tripping over the radials would be a better alternative. Any suggestions? I'm really getting tired of tripping over the radials of Jess, AI9L's radial field. 73 Chet VE3CFK Sent from my Samsung device _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Radials in the desert
Once a driveway was in the way of radials ... a cement blade on a circular saw fixed that. That may work FB on soft sandstone. 73, Mike WA5POK On Wednesday, June 20, 2018 9:23 AM, MICHAEL ST ANGELO wrote: Chet, Have you tried digging a shallow trench with an edge trimmer? They are also known as edgers. Mike N2MS > On June 20, 2018 at 8:06 AM Chester Latawiec wrote: > > > > Any suggestions on burying radials in the desert sands of Kingman AZ? > Radials placed on the surface just stay there and are constant tripping > hazards. > The desert sand is like rock. The top 1/4 inch is loose sand but below that > it's like rock. You vertually need a pick axe to loosen the sublayer. One > option is to pick axe a shallow trench for each radial in the desert sun, but > tripping over the radials would be a better alternative. > Any suggestions? > I'm really getting tired of tripping over the radials of Jess, AI9L's radial > field. > 73 > Chet VE3CFK > > > Sent from my Samsung device > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Radials in the desert
Hi Brian For the areas where there is heavy foot traffic, perhaps some artificial turf. 73 Adrian Adrian Van Der Byl PO Box 39 MARULAN NSW 2179 Australia M: +61 418 288 911 E: vk...@bigpond.com -Original Message- From: Topband On Behalf Of Brian Pease Sent: Wednesday, 20 June 2018 11:30 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Radials in the desert One partial solution might be to collect small rocks and place them along each radial on top of the wire close enough together to provide clear visual cues. On 6/20/2018 9:23 AM, MICHAEL ST ANGELO wrote: > Chet, > > Have you tried digging a shallow trench with an edge trimmer? They are also > known as edgers. > > Mike N2MS > > >> On June 20, 2018 at 8:06 AM Chester Latawiec wrote: >> >> >> >> Any suggestions on burying radials in the desert sands of Kingman AZ? >> Radials placed on the surface just stay there and are constant tripping >> hazards. >> The desert sand is like rock. The top 1/4 inch is loose sand but below that >> it's like rock. You vertually need a pick axe to loosen the sublayer. One >> option is to pick axe a shallow trench for each radial in the desert sun, >> but tripping over the radials would be a better alternative. >> Any suggestions? >> I'm really getting tired of tripping over the radials of Jess, AI9L's radial >> field. >> 73 >> Chet VE3CFK >> >> >> Sent from my Samsung device >> _ >> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Radials in the desert
One partial solution might be to collect small rocks and place them along each radial on top of the wire close enough together to provide clear visual cues. On 6/20/2018 9:23 AM, MICHAEL ST ANGELO wrote: Chet, Have you tried digging a shallow trench with an edge trimmer? They are also known as edgers. Mike N2MS On June 20, 2018 at 8:06 AM Chester Latawiec wrote: Any suggestions on burying radials in the desert sands of Kingman AZ? Radials placed on the surface just stay there and are constant tripping hazards. The desert sand is like rock. The top 1/4 inch is loose sand but below that it's like rock. You vertually need a pick axe to loosen the sublayer. One option is to pick axe a shallow trench for each radial in the desert sun, but tripping over the radials would be a better alternative. Any suggestions? I'm really getting tired of tripping over the radials of Jess, AI9L's radial field. 73 Chet VE3CFK Sent from my Samsung device _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Re: Topband: Radials in the desert
Chet, Have you tried digging a shallow trench with an edge trimmer? They are also known as edgers. Mike N2MS > On June 20, 2018 at 8:06 AM Chester Latawiec wrote: > > > > Any suggestions on burying radials in the desert sands of Kingman AZ? > Radials placed on the surface just stay there and are constant tripping > hazards. > The desert sand is like rock. The top 1/4 inch is loose sand but below that > it's like rock. You vertually need a pick axe to loosen the sublayer. One > option is to pick axe a shallow trench for each radial in the desert sun, but > tripping over the radials would be a better alternative. > Any suggestions? > I'm really getting tired of tripping over the radials of Jess, AI9L's radial > field. > 73 > Chet VE3CFK > > > Sent from my Samsung device > _ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
Topband: Radials in the desert
Any suggestions on burying radials in the desert sands of Kingman AZ? Radials placed on the surface just stay there and are constant tripping hazards. The desert sand is like rock. The top 1/4 inch is loose sand but below that it's like rock. You vertually need a pick axe to loosen the sublayer. One option is to pick axe a shallow trench for each radial in the desert sun, but tripping over the radials would be a better alternative. Any suggestions? I'm really getting tired of tripping over the radials of Jess, AI9L's radial field. 73 Chet VE3CFK Sent from my Samsung device _ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
