[600MRG] Verticals and radials....

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

I am finally going to add at least 20 radials to the HF all-band 55' vertical I have been using 
for a number of years.

/(Sarcasm on).At the present time, I have only 4 ea 66' long radials laid on the ground. The 
antenna is not very efficient (/sarcasm off.)

The vertical is what amounts to 1/2 of a W3DZZ all-band trap dipole (one trap in each side), 
set vertically. It exhibits a 2:1 or less SWR on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters, and I use it with 
a coupler on 60, 30 17, and 12 meters also.

So, my questions:

1) Do I need to make all the radials resonant at some ham band, or does it really matter?

2) What deleterious effects will there be if the radials are shorter than a resonant length?

My yard is not "round", the antenna is NOT in the center of the yard, my house is "in the 
way" over at least 1/3 of the radius around the vertical, and I have read somewhere that if 
one wishes one's vertical to operate at peak efficiency, one should "copper plate" the 
ground under and around it....but how far "out"?

Enquiring minds need to know.

Oh. One more thing: I also use it on 160 by using a base-loading coil, and have planned to 
use it on 630 meters with another loading coil.

Advice? Suggestions?

Ken W7EKB

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