Total posts : 45366
Thank you @RFB!
Good points as always. Your input makes what I am trying both possible and sane.
Radials are possible if I mount this either in my front yard or if I go totally offgrid and mount this in my back lot across the alley. Like most, have limited space and things to work around. 20 ft radials are probably going to make obstructions and hazards, so we’ll get creative there — perhaps doing some slight burial where necessary.
I plan on soldering the copper radial arms to the copper radial collar. Then after all attached doing a wrap of the connection points. Outdoor silicon might be the best thing in all ways. It is cheap, easy enough to work with, proven, etc. My only apprehension with it is I’ve seen it fall off things in chunks over time. So I’ll probably do my liquid tape job then silicon the area later.
Wondering how much wear to such materials will be moisture and temperature stresses compared to UV breakdown. Contemplating putting the ring in a raised airborne position 1-3 inches above soil. Doing such would eliminate some of the obvious sources of material breakdown and keep the ring accessible for maintenance.
Planning on running the radials at top of the soil level. No trenching or anything. If some become buried on their own over time I’ll let them go and do that.
Read about radials “de-tuning” when placed underground. This was for HAM band radials. Does this apply here?
Looking at 19.66 feet for each radial arm length. We’ll call that an even 20 feet. 16 in total = 320 feet of radial wire. Yep, I need to scrounge more wire or go the luxury route of buying some new wire for the difference.
