Find a deal on 100' of 14/2 Romex with ground. Cut in 20' sections. Strip the outside insulation from the wires. Each section will give you 3-20' ground leads. 2 of the 3 will have insulation on them but that's no problem. Use one of the uninsulated ground leads for your loop at the base of the antenna. You will have 24 ground leads.. Just a suggestion..
I just noticed.. I meant 14 instead of 24 ground leads..
"The silicone RTV usually available at hardware stores uses acetic acid as a catalyst inhibitor. This acid will corrode metal.
I am not saying it won't work for this application but I don't use it for any electronic projects.
THIS is the type I use and is specifically meant to use with metals. Does not corrode away solder connections either.
I wouldn't use any other kind. I've used this stuff inside projects and even on circuit boards directly..never had any problems. Despite what the not recommended recommendations state, I've used it on solid copper wire soldered with silver solder and got an example outside now going on 3 years exposure to the weather and still as good as the day I put it out there.
RFB
galavanized wire will soon be rusty wire.
RFB cites his experience with RTV and I don't doubt him but I have seen "protected" connections fail due to corrosion. In one case, a connector shell was "potted" with the acidic RTV and the connections failed. It could be that the amount of cure time is a factor with the potted connector cavity taking longer to cure than a surface coating which would prolong the exposure to the acid while it diffuses away.
For electronic applications, electronic grade RTV is recommended. This material uses alcohol as the catalyst inhibitor. Another type which is preferred for potting is a two part system where the catalyst is mixed at the time of the potting.
Since the application discussed here is low risk if the metals corrode there is no harm in trying with the easy to find hardware store variety RTV.
Thanks for the clarification @radio8z.
The arctic air has me inside and not doing the radio stuff. Will be back to it when the weather breaks and warms up some.
Lots to think about before taking the next big leap ideally before springtime.
" I've removed 16 spots along the ring for wire to be soldered to the ring and then to be coated in liquid tape."
Hopefully that liquid tape will hold up to the dirt's corrosive elements. Remember that the dirt's corrosive elements can eat through metal. Regular old weather seal silicone would do better
Why bother? Ground radial systems at commercial AM stations do not do this.
"Why bother? Ground radial systems at commercial AM stations do not do this."
That wire used by them licensed stations aren't your typical wire found at the hardware store either!
Perhaps the best approach is to use screw clamps to make the connections instead of soldering. Then use the tape or silicone to seal. It's always a good idea to check the ground system regularly anyway for optimum performance...ie preventive maintenance. :p
RFB
Why can't you just keep the ring of wire and all the radial connections slightly above ground and out of the dirt?
.. Leave the ground loop and all of the solder connections just above ground level? I've made hundreds of copper to copper solder connections for lighting under the beds of trucks and on other vehicles/trailers and I've never seen one fail. Goobed most of them up with cheap silicone so water wouldn't leach back up the wires..
Here are 3 YouTube videos that nicely present the installation of a ham radio antenna radial system that is equally well suited to part 15 AM antennas.
It shows using a DX Engineering ground radial plate with wire lugs and bolts. That's a very neat way to attach the wires, but a heavy copper wire ring with the radial wires soldered to it, like discussed above, should be equally suitable.
He is using inexpensive 20 gauge PVC insulated wire for the radials. The video illustrates the common practice of first mowing the lawn short and then stretching the radials out tightly on top of the earth and using landscape pins to hold them down. After a few growth cycles, the grass will pull the wires down into the roots and the wires disappear.
That wire used by them licensed stations aren't your typical wire found at the hardware store either!
Oh really? #10 bare copper is #10 bare copper.