View Single Post
  #24   Report Post  
Old April 18th 04, 03:30 AM
Gary V. Deutschmann, Sr.
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Thanks for all the excellent commentary guys!

My reason for the question was not really looking for a major
improvement in the operation of the antenna, but more longetivity.

I'm getting close to retirement and have moved to a new state.
Whatever I put up, I want it to stay up and keep looking nice for
about 20 years or longer.

I lived in my last home for over 20 years, my backyard was almost
solid copper from all the radials I had run over the years, plus when
I first moved there, I did the entire backyard in 2x4 welded wire
fabric, a layer of straw and some grass seed, then another layer of
2x4 welded wire fabric running the other way, then eventually sod over
that. The last antenna I put up, a Butternut I used 3,500 feet of
wire to make the radials and tied them to the welded wire fabric.

I have set up an area at the top of a hill, am in the process of
grading this area to flat, and hopefully within a couple of months
have everything up except the antennas.

I have cheap access to a plating company who will plate everything to
keep it from corroding. When I checked into the price of gold
plating, it was only a couple of bucks more than stainless silver or
stainless brass and I was just thinking perhaps the gold would last
longer and perhaps even work better.

I have 1,225 sq. ft. of small link aluminum chain link fencing that is
going to be buried as the start of my ground system in this graded
area.

I am also having a 62 foot fiberglass utility pole (50 feet after
installation) installed at the corner of the house, this will hold my
VHF/UHF antenna's and the my HF Inverted Vees, plus be the center of
two dipoles, etc. Up near the antenna farm there will be another 30
foot fiberglass utility pole (after installation), which will be
horizontal with the 50 foot pole at the house.

I'm just trying to get everything planned out on paper before I do
anything as it's easier to erase a pencil line than redo an antenna
farm after the fact.

In effect, I'm going to duplicate as closely as possible what I had in
St. Loo and hopefully add a few more, since I now have the space.

TTUL
Gary