Hi Carl, I am in upstate NY. We have decent soil but several feet down we are on solid rock.
I'm envious of your receive antennas. I miss the 625' beverages I had in Joisey. Only can fit in around 300' beverages here. That is why I switched to Pennants, Flags and now have one W1FV 3-el array set up. So, definitely a compromise here. Only 285 countries and 35 zones on 160M. I shunt feed the tower on 160M. If I can hear them I can work them, usually. 73, N2TK, Tony -----Original Message----- From: Carl [mailto:k...@jeremy.qozzy.com] Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2018 9:21 PM To: N2TK, Tony <tony....@verizon.net>; topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Radial plate The loss all depends upon your actual RF ground resistance. which ranges from a near perfect salt water marsh to granite, deep glacial sand, and rocky soils being among the worst. Loss of 2-3 dB is common at the LOWEST angles wheras others keep quoting the lobe peak which doesnt change that much. Good BCB antennas have great groundwave BUT at night they can be heard half the world away thanks to those real low and efficient angles which become skywaves. Available ham software doenst work very well down there. . I consider 1 dB loss to be the threshold between a QSO or not, some consider it less than that and Im strictly a CW DXer on 160 and realize that a high percentage of the DX is at a serious disadvantage noise wise. For RX I use 5 2 wire Beverages for 10 directions in the 500-750' range so Im not particularly hearing limited because of my Southern NH granite hilltop. Just my opinion Tony after over 300 countries and 39 zones over several decades. Carl ----- Original Message ----- From: "N2TK, Tony" <tony....@verizon.net> To: "'Carl'" <k...@jeremy.qozzy.com>; <topband@contesting.com> Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2018 5:01 PM Subject: RE: Topband: Radial plate Hi Carl, One advantages of going underground. No more wires hanging up in the air. It will look cleaner. But I do not have any idea if my signal will degrade going with buried radials over the 5 elevated radials at each feedpoint. The ice was brutal this past winter. Why do you say there will be a large signal loss going from elevated to ground radials? You got my attentions with that statement. N2TK, Tony -----Original Message----- From: Carl [mailto:k...@jeremy.qozzy.com] Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2018 3:51 PM To: N2TK, Tony <tony....@verizon.net>; topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Radial plate Since the change to on ground radials can result in a large loss of signal in some areas why not just invest in stronger elevated radials? I use scrapped deep well wire from well shops which is available in #12 to 6 in this area in 2 and 3 wire insulated styles and is often free. . For the 16 160M radials up 12-15' they run over tree branches and also over fairly open areas. Since I live on top of the tallest hill in the area of Southern NH Im exposed to everything Mother Nature can throw at me from all directions.....ice included. Back when I used #18 & 16 it was regularly needing repair, amd now nothing in about 12 years. It acts/handles like a cross between soft drawn house wire and hard drawn. #16 to12 copper clad steel is available also with and without a strong jacket and stranded or solid.. Carl ----- Original Message ----- From: "N2TK, Tony" <tony....@verizon.net> To: <topband@contesting.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2018 9:08 AM Subject: Topband: Radial plate Planning on changing from elevated radials to ground mounted radials for my 80 M 4-sq. After twice having to rebuild the elevated radials this past winter from the snow/ice storms it is time to go to the ground. I plan on having the feedpoints on 4x4 posts with the feedpoints 3' up from the ground so they don't get snow covered often. Looking at the DXEngineering Radial plates. It looks like an easy way to tie the radials together on the ground then run a ground wire up to a box at the feedpoint. Any comments or issues with using these radial plates? Also going to use buried feedlines - RG6, ¾ wave with 8 turns through #31 big clamp-on core at the feedpoint. 73, N2TK, Tony _________________ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband --- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. https://www.avg.com _________________ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband