Radial wire longevity and such

[Mudfoot]

Is there a specific recommended wire type to use for ground radials. I mean, something that will hold up and not deteriate from ground exposure. I'm erecting a 10-40m vertical and want a crap load of radials. I'm thinking solid wire would hold up better than stranded, IDK.

Adviis greatly appreciated.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

We always used bare #10 or #12 solid copper wire for the radials in our AM transmitter sites. Never an issue. On my 5BTV vertical, I used whatever I had on hand, which was a combination of both solid and stranded insulated wire. Size was between 16 and 20 gauge.The more the merrier when it comes to radials. The copper in the ground was never an issue with longevity but the solder sure was. We dug up a radial field near the tower bases and reconnected them using silver solder or Silfos. The regular 60/40 solder originally used in the 1960's had practically disappeared but the copper wires were still fine. This would have been around 1990 or so.

 

[Mudfoot]

Good! Looks like I can go the scavenger route. In my research, I read a couple horror stories on stranded wire breaking down. I want to avoid problems. Once this vertical is up, I don't want to mess with it.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Also at one of our sites we moved in 1986, we made a ground screen about 12-15 feet square out of stranded, bare #6 copper wire. This was installed directly at the tower base. It was basically a screen that we used to help with stability of the ground system in the immediate field of the tower under various conditions, as well as to offer better lightning protection by ground the hell out of the mat right at the tower base. Granted it was #6 but it is still there without any issues. As far as I know.

 

[HarryUSA]

Buy coated aluminum garden wire; it's cheap and won't deteriorate as fast as copper.

Here's a link to coated steel wire, but I've purchased it in aluminum from home centers and my local hardware store, in the past.

Hillman 100 ft. 100 lb. 14-Gauge Plastic-Coated Galvanized Wire 122100 - The Home Depot

Enjoy the The Hillman Group 100 ft. Plastic-Coated Galvanized Wire 122100, features a heavy-duty PVC coating is a versatile wire for home, workshop, farm or garden applications from The Home Depot

www.homedepot.com

Remember that with radials it is quantity over quality, so while steel isn't ideal (your car's body serves as your counterpoise in mobile applications), it won't make any perceivable difference if you put out a dozen radials.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Buy coated aluminum garden wire; it's cheap and won't deteriorate as fast as copper.

Here's a link to coated steel wire, but I've purchased it in aluminum from home centers and my local hardware store, in the past.

Hillman 100 ft. 100 lb. 14-Gauge Plastic-Coated Galvanized Wire 122100 - The Home Depot

Enjoy the The Hillman Group 100 ft. Plastic-Coated Galvanized Wire 122100, features a heavy-duty PVC coating is a versatile wire for home, workshop, farm or garden applications from The Home Depot

www.homedepot.com

Remember that with radials it is quantity over quality, so while steel isn't ideal (your car's body serves as your counterpoise in mobile applications), it won't make any perceivable difference if you put out a dozen radials.

I beg to differ. Aluminum will deteriorate FASTER than copper, especially if the soil is acidic. I worked in commercial broadcasting for 22 years. ALL AM stations use copper radials. One of my stations first went on the air November 13, 1945. It remained on the same site until we moved it in December,1986. After 41 years in fairly acidic soil the copper radials were still fine, however the regular soft solder used at the time was pretty much gone. An aluminum plate in the ground had holes through it.

On edit: Just noticed you posted about coated aluminum wire. OK I will give you that, the coating will extend the life but who knows for how long. What I hate about using aluminum and copper is the galvanic issue you need to contend with.

 

[Mudfoot]

What about magnet wire? I believe there is some sort of coated option. Read an article while back. Can't recall the jest.

 

[HarryUSA]

I'd prefer a plastic coated wire, because magnetic wire is just enamel coated copper wire, so as long as you scrape the enamel off your connection point, then fine. But you said you wanted a lot of radials, so even though you can shorten the radials to under a 1/4 wavelength of your lowest band (40M), you need a lot of wire (say, at least 36 radials * ~20' = 720') or (72 radials * ~15' = 1080')

 

[nomadradio]

The FCC standard for AM broadcast vertical radiators is a quarter wavelength. Multiband antennas generally work best with radials that are a quarter wave at the lowest band it covers.

73

 

[AudioShockwav]

I beg to differ. Aluminum will deteriorate FASTER than copper, especially if the soil is acidic. I worked in commercial broadcasting for 22 years. ALL AM stations use copper radials. One of my stations first went on the air November 13, 1945. It remained on the same site until we moved it in December,1986. After 41 years in fairly acidic soil the copper radials were still fine...........

 

[nomadradio]

Copper forms a green patina, which protects the underlying metal from further corrosion. Lasts a long while in the ground. Until an inexperienced landscape contractor whacks the copper bonding strap with his bush hog. Soldering the bond straps back together in 100-degree midday sun is one part of broadcast engineering I will never miss.

Aluminum in nature is found in the form of clay. And that's what it wants to become in a corrosive environment.

73

 

[Hurricane145]

I have a friend that is on 160 meters a lot. He has several acres for antennas. He uses electric fence wire. Inexpensive stuff and works very well. He puts down 90 full length radials on 160 and has constructed 2 phased verticals. That's a lot of wire!