Ground Radials for Vertical HF Antennas

My experience from actually building and using ground radials as a counterpoise for vertical HF antennas. #hamradio #hamradioantenna #portablehamradio

Link to Rudy Severn’s page:

Link to the FCC Ground Conductivity Map:

Link to my video on RF Ground:

Link to Callum’s @DXCommanderHQ channel mentioned in the video:

[KTPT]

I would love your thoughts on tuned elevated radials vs ground mounted. Maybe the POTA performer by KJ6ER vs a ground mounted vertical. Thanks Walt, keep up the good work.

[Mahia]

Love your videos, love the passion, love the commitment, love the experimenting. This one? This one was awesome!! They all are, but I took a lot from this. Thank you for YOUR explanation.

[DJCee]

Thanks Walt for all your help! I finally cut 5 10 foot radials for my 17 Five with an LDG 4:1 unun and a 6 ferrite sleeves in line about 18" from the end of the connector that goes to the unun. THANKS AGAIN!!! VA3COJ 73

[robertmeyer]

well said .that is how ground radials work. when portable just throw some on the ground . do what you can to spread them out. it will work just fine. over thinking it and wasting time to get it just right is taking fun away of on air time. the band conditions have more to do with making contacts then getting your ground radials just right. 73's

[MrTommy]

Being new to HF and knowing nothing, I read and watch all the stuff I can to soak up info. It has occurred to me that there is a LOT of overthinking in almost every aspect of ham radio. It's sometimes hard to sift through this stuff. Thanks for helping in that endeavor.

[mobiltec]

Great info Walt. I've been wondering the same things and when I try to look it all up.... YEP A LOT of stuff to read about and all very confusing for the average guy with very little schooling on antennas. I'll just play around with it. Going to try a big lake in Northern Nevada soon.

[MrToymod]

That was timely, just putting up an h4btv.

[Philip-KAKOE]

One elevated resonant radial. Mark your wire for each band. For portable.

[SPNT]

Great job Walt! You make a really good content! BR from Poland! SP5NT, 73 😉👍

[WECB]

Ooooh. "The juice is worth the squeeze." Put that on the back of your sweatshirt on the next POTA. (Coincidence to the latest vid from Big Clive perhaps? LOLOLOL)

[KOGAR]

I agree that radial length really doesn't matter for ground mounted verticals on most bands. When you start moving to the low bands 80-160m the radial length will determine whether or not you have to use a tuner in my experience. I use an elevated vertical antenna for POTA. The feed point is over 1 meter above ground and i will say in my experience that 4 quarter wave elevated radials 90 degrees in separation work really well. I would like to see your take on this antenna. Have great day. 73's

[martinsalt]

One question Walt, do the counterpoise wires have to be the same gauge as the radiating element ? Reason I ask is I am about to make a Rybakov, the radiator is approx 20AWG but I only have enough wire to make counterpoises with approx 24AWG. Do you think that will be ok ? Thanks

[fredwatkins]

I keep a DX Commander 10-meter pole in my front yard with a 29' wire attached to it next to my Tool Shed, where I play radio with it and a few other wire antennas I've made per your videos, and I've found that antenna does wonderfully with just 4 radials under it. 73 Walt, KG4VLN

[ErikTheVikingMechanic]

Great video. For my DX commander portable I use 4 radials per connector, 5 connectors, 3.5m long.
That's 20x 3.5m radials. From the UK to the USA it's so easy to DX and Australia as well at the right time of day.

[mjcz]

Hi Walt. Just wanted you to know I just contacted Madrid Spain on 20m using my FT 891 / 25 Watts and a “Salty Walt” speaker wire vertical with four radials, mounted in my back yard. I’m in central New Jersey, about 5 miles from the Delaware river. Pretty freaking amazing. Thanks for all the great videos.

[gtretroworld]

Excellent no bull video Walt, i think folk forget experimenting is the best part of the hobby and overthink things way too much.

[FlbInRb]

According to your previous video on RF grounding, if I understand clearly from what you said, I should be using at least 4 counterpoise wires when building the 29' and 41' vertical antennas shown in your other videos? I live in the mtns on top of dry dirt and decomposed granite in Arizona. I did experiment one time with 4 wires and noticed the SWR increased quite a bit. But I am also using a tuner. Thanks again for your outstanding videos!

[rossbassette]

I use two 3x8ft sheets of aluminum window screen attached to my antenna ground with alligator clip leads. It is real easy to set up with the two sheets on either side of the antenna. Performance for me, has been better than 16 3m radials

[basshorseman]

Been on both sides of radio, broadcast and ham for many years Walt, well thought out overview of how it really works...Thanks

[TGUlricksen]

Just lay the wires down? do I stake the end to the ground and connected to the ground? Or just lay there?