Return-Path: Received: from mtain-dj05.r1000.mx.aol.com (mtain-dj05.r1000.mail.aol.com [172.19.187.141]) by air-da04.mail.aol.com (v129.4) with ESMTP id MAILINDA044-86644bd869a73ad; Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:00:23 -0400 Received: from post.thorcom.com (post.thorcom.com [193.82.116.20]) by mtain-dj05.r1000.mx.aol.com (Internet Inbound) with ESMTP id 7248538000096; Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:00:19 -0400 (EDT) Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 4.14) id 1O7Abc-0003yW-W2 for rs_out_1@blacksheep.org; Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:59:24 +0100 Received: from [193.82.116.32] (helo=relay1.thorcom.net) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 4.14) id 1O7Abc-0003yN-Hj for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:59:24 +0100 Received: from mailout-us.gmx.com ([74.208.5.67]) by relay1.thorcom.net with smtp (Exim 4.63) (envelope-from ) id 1O7Aba-0007A3-El for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:59:24 +0100 Received: (qmail invoked by alias); 28 Apr 2010 16:59:14 -0000 Received: from 75-168-150-7.mpls.qwest.net (EHLO [192.168.1.100]) [75.168.150.7] by mail.gmx.com (mp-us001) with SMTP; 28 Apr 2010 12:59:14 -0400 X-Authenticated: #60769621 X-Provags-ID: V01U2FsdGVkX19EIcxwKaJEqZ7OD0y0JfFVERgKz1sDVVVUeCl7Md 0N+r/+hLb6pLIE Message-ID: <4BD86949.9030607@gmx.com> Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:58:49 -0500 From: "Mike.WE0H" User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.24 (X11/20100317) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org References: In-Reply-To: X-Y-GMX-Trusted: 0 X-FuHaFi: 0.56999999999999995 X-Spam-Score: 0.0 (/) X-Spam-Report: autolearn=disabled,none Subject: Re: LF: W1VLF 8.97 KHz UPDATE Trees, Questions, Ground Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.63 (2004-01-11) on post.thorcom.com X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.0 required=5.0 tests=none autolearn=no version=2.63 X-SA-Exim-Scanned: Yes Sender: owner-rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group X-SA-Exim-Rcpt-To: rs_out_1@blacksheep.org X-SA-Exim-Scanned: No; SAEximRunCond expanded to false x-aol-global-disposition: G x-aol-sid: 3039cdbc9d0a4bd869a35cd2 X-AOL-IP: 193.82.116.20 X-Mailer: Unknown (No Version) I'd treat it like any vertical. Radials are required for proper operation. You won't get in any quarterwave radials so they are short and will require the ground pipe at the end to kind of make them appear longer to the antenna. No matter what length the radials are, fill in the area under the hat wires. It's a known fact that a short vertical antenna on a HF band wont radiate for crap if it has no radials. It wont radiate for crap with a ground pipe ground connection. It will radiate with radials. A 9kc antenna should be no different. Use radials. Mike WE0H Paul A. C wrote: > Here is an update on the W1VLF 8.97 Khz transmission system. > > I have in the last week built and installed a variometer into the loading > coil. > To resonate the antenna I find that I need 395 mhys. The variometer is > located in the blue barrel section of the 2 piece coil. > The only thing I need to do to finish the variometer is put some sort of > friction collars where the adjustment rod leaves the coil, to keep it from > moving once properly adjusted. > > > Most of the connections on the 2 coil have been cleaned up and I have added > a handle so the unit can be easily lifted. > > Now to the questions.. > > Looking here http://rescueelectronics.com/9-Kilohertz.html near the bottom > of the page one can see that the tower is backed up by forest. > > I wondered how much, if any, effect on antenna current running a long > radial out in the forest would have? > > So by installing the wire, and using a 0 to 100 ma Weston RF squared current > meter, I attached the radial to the ground on the coil. > As you might expect..0 or almost 0 current recorded on the meter. Actually > there was a perceptible movement but just barely. > > The next step was to connect the far end of the radial to a 3 ground rod > antenna array I abandoned many years ago. > Lo and behold there was a reading of 10 ma on the RF current meter. > Thinking this was good thing, I ran a second wire to the forest and pounded > a 4' rod in. > Now the RF current meter read 25 ma but only if the wire is connect to the > ground rod. The wire just laying on the ground made essentially no > difference. > > I am hoping that the ground rods in the forest are acting like collection > points for RF current and the radial like a low loss return point to the > base of the antenna. > > Also.. just concluded another test,. The current meter was brought the far > end of each radial. the measured current was the same as on the coil end of > the circuit. > > So.. > > A) Am I just giving the trees a better return path or ground connection > (the radial) to the coil??? > And the power is being eaten up by the trees??? > > > OR > > B) Is there a chance this power is actually being radiated, and therefore I > should pursuit accumulating these grounds, and their current and return it > to the coil?? > > What is a tree at 9 KHz??? > > > All comments good or bad, big or small appreciated. > > > PauLC > W1VLF > >