I could simply do a bunch of experiments with this, but time is short
and if someone on this list already knows, why should I make the
mistakes all over again?
Because of the time crunch, I began work installing the HF2V before I
got the manual, which I just barely got done reading. Like many such
manuals, it's brief.
What I had pretty much planned and pretty much have is a "slightly above
ground" installation.
That is to say, I have a teated 4x4 sticking up about four feet,
suitable for this or some future vertical to attach to.
The HF2V manual shows the small pipe going down into the ground for the
true ground mount case.
Well, mechanically, this is no problem, I can just attach the small pipe
to the 4x4, with the radiating element clearing the 4x4 on the provided
insulator right at the top of the pole.
This is what, absent better advise, I plan to do.
1. I have always read, but never tried the idea of tuned, above ground
radials. I believe that with the aforementioned setup, I could attach
the radials right about at the top of the 4x4, right where the grounding
ends, and send them down at a bit of an angle, but keeping the radials
above ground. On the classic 1/4 wave, this is said to actually improve
the match a bit, and the HF2V manual says angle isn't terribly critical
to the match. So that part checks.
So for post-lawnmowing season, that would seem to be fine and perfectly
in line with the manual. But, while that's a long time, it's not all
year nor quite all of the 80 meter "season."
2. I'm at least a little worried about the buried radial setup for the
mowing seasons. Here, the radiating antenna would commence four feet
above the ground if I simply attached the buried radials "somewhere" on
the small bottom pipe. Note that this "small pipe" does seem to be
mostly structural, the diagram shows a separate ground rod (but maybe
that's for lightning??). It is the same aluminum as everything else,
though. How critical would such a setup be to be functional? Would I
be better off dropping the vertical to the ground, clamping it to the
4x4 and hooking it to the buried radials when running those? This is
one of the things I didn't do last time (my then-setup prevented it) and
now I wonder if it hurt performance, especially on 80. I've read in
several sources that once you bury radials, they aren't especially tuned
anyway (one of the many reasons you need so many of them), so maybe a
short drop at the start isn't so bad??
3. The diagram shows a direct connection of the coax to the antenna,
with instructions for weather proofing. My idea would be instead to
have similar wires coming of an SO 238 and have a standard PL 259
connected to that, properly sealed. Could that create feedpoint
problems that I'm not aware of? Again, that's what I did last time,
with the multi-band vertical, and didn't get performance on 80 (but did
on 40. 20, 15, and 10).
4. The other alternative, I suppose, is to go over several feet and
ground mount the antenna as per the diagram, moving/elevating it after I
do the elevated radials post-mowing. That would create some logistical
problems in terms of me managing the coax, though. It would have to be
alternately buried and then rotated up the side of the 4x4 depending on
the season. Kinda messy and would be moving when the ground is probably
starting to freeze, too.
Obviously, it would work conveniently if I just mounted it for the above
ground radial case and took whatever I got for the buried radials (which
would all start by going straight down for a foot or two at least).
But, is the convenient approach the right one? I need to decide,
because I have to cut the coax accordingly and that's a permanent
decision (if I don't want to be adding extra little bits of coax &
assorted connectors -- which I don't).
Larry WO0Z
