I'm planning on installing a Hustler 4-BTV vertical by the house. There's already a 12 ft. steel pole mounted in cement, so I'm going to mount it on that pole about 10 feet up (sort of small mini tower). Because of another house next door and being close near corner of my house, not much room for ground radials. But being the steel pole is already in cement and in ground I shouldn't need any radials? What would you think?
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
3
-
$\begingroup$ Hello, and welcome to this site! Here's a similar question that should be helpful. He uses slightly elevated radials, but they can be high enough to walk under. Can you use elevated resonant radials? $\endgroup$– Mike Waters ♦Feb 17, 2020 at 19:39
-
$\begingroup$ Not what you asked so just using a comment to suggest you consider a vertical dipole if you don't want to use radials. $\endgroup$– pidloopFeb 19, 2020 at 3:27
-
$\begingroup$ What about 6 or 8 ground plain type poles mounted just below the base of the antenna like a 5/8 wave cb antenna $\endgroup$– Greg breitzJul 17, 2021 at 21:03
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
1
The Hustler web site says: "For optimal performance, radial wires should be used." Somewhere else, there is a recommendation for sets of 3 tuned radials per band on which you plan to operate.
A short metal pole in the ground does not act as a proper RF counterpose for HF bands, nor does it prevent ground losses, and will very likely not allow the best impedance match at the feed point.
-
$\begingroup$ I fully agree. Upvoted, but I think that you are being very conservative in the second paragraph about just how lossy that really is! :-) $\endgroup$– Mike Waters ♦Feb 17, 2020 at 22:25