aaahhh . . . yes - "normal" chicken wire would indeed corrode fast.  I
wonder if copper or galvanized chicken wire is made?

-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of John Miller
Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2014 5:30 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Questions about Setting Up Radials

Chicken wire will rot out fast,you don't want to do that. As for wire gauge,
it really doesn't matter, I think I'm running 18 gauge wire. I ran single
strand but that's just because that's what was on discount in a while spool.

I just made like big staples out of peaces of the wire to hold it down to
the ground. It took 2 years but finally they're disappearing in to the
ground. Just do what you can, if it's ground mounted length isn't critical
of the radials. In the air it is on the ground it's not. I have all kinds of
different lengths, most the recommended length of 30 feet for my antenna but
I have some longer some shorter and living in a trailer with metal skirting
around the bottom, I have that connected as one huge radial as well. I can't
say it made much noticeable difference with or without that.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard B McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2014 8:12 AM
Subject: Questions about Setting Up Radials


> Hi!
>
>
>
> Soon, I will install a 43' HF (160M - 6M) antenna.  I have a few 
> questions about setting up the radials for this antenna, as follows:
>
>
>
> 1.  The manual for the antenna recommends using 18 gauge wire.  Would 
> using a larger gauge wire (e.g., 16 gauge( be better?  Since my radial 
> system will not be ideal (see below), I wonder if increasing the gauge 
> of the wire might be helpful.
>
>
>
> 2.  Does it matter if the wire is solid copper or braided copper?  Is 
> one better than the other?  Also, should the wire be a) insulated or 
> b) uninsulated?  Does it matter, or is one better than the other?
>
>
>
> 3.  These radials will not be buried in small trenches in the ground.
> Instead, the end of each radial will be "staked" into the ground, and 
> also likely a few "stakes" along each radial's length.  So, regarding 
> the "stakes", is it OK that they are metal?  Is it better if these 
> stakes are insulated, similar to the wire?  Would plastic or wood 
> stakes be any or much better?
>
>
>
> I think I will be able to layout about 16 radials.  However, not each 
> will be the height of the antenna (maybe half of them will be), their 
> layout will not be symmetrical (like spokes on a wheel) and about 180 
> degrees radius off of the antenna will not have radials extending 
> outward in this quadrant.
>
>
>
> Finally, are there any tricks I can employ to improve my radial system? 
> For
> example, I think I once heard of someone laying down chicken wire 
> around the antenna base.  Is something like that beneficial?
>
>
>
> 73,
>
> Richard KK6MRH