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2024-01-04

Counterpoise, Radials, and Ground Plane


Not simply different names for the same thing

Counterpoise, radials, and ground plane are not simply different names for the same thing. They each serve unique functions in an antenna system.

The choice between using a radial, counterpoise, or ground plane for your HF station depends on the specific setup and environment of your antenna system:

Counterpoise: A counterpoise is used to create an artificial ground when an antenna is elevated. It’s typically used in antenna systems where a good earth ground connection cannot be constructed. If your antenna is close to the ground, you might need to build your counterpoise as if it was a buried radial system.

A 1/4-wave wire counterpoise wire installed on a handheld transceiver

It functions as one plate of a large capacitor, with the conductive layers of the earth acting as the other plate.

Radial: A radial is a wire that hugs the ground to provide a low loss return path for the RF that is soaking into the ground. Radials are typically used in ground-mounted antenna systems. They provide a low loss return path for the RF that is soaking into the ground. Radial or buried screen systems, in direct soil contact, are generally preferred in permanent installations. On lower frequencies, buried systems work just as well as elevated systems. They also have a much wider usable frequency range than counterpoise systems

A system of radials around an HF vertical antenna

If you are using radials, they should have a length of

1/4λ

(or an odd multiple of that- λ = wavelength).

This length helps to provide a low loss return path for the RF that is soaking into the ground. However, the length of radials can vary depending on the specific setup and environment. For example, when radials are buried or placed directly on the ground, they couple into the earth so they don’t actually need to be resonant at all, and often their length is not overly critical. However, the length of radials can vary depending on the specific setup and environment. 

A typical radial ground plate

It’s worth noting that the number of radials and their optimum length can be a trade-off. For instance, fewer radials can be shorter, but as the number of radials increases, the optimal length tends to increase as well. Therefore, the design of the radial system should consider both the number and length of radials for optimal antenna performance.

While a quarter-wavelength is a common length for radials, the optimal length can depend on various factors including the number of radials and the specific antenna setup.

Ground Plane: A ground plane in an antenna system is a conductive surface that serves as a reflective plane for radio waves. The ground plane can be a physical surface, like the earth or a metal sheet, or it can be composed of a network of connected wires arranged radially. The ground plane helps to direct the radiation pattern of the antenna and to provide a return path for the radio frequency current.

While all three components are important, they serve different purposes and are used in different scenarios. Radials are used for ground-based antennas to provide a return path for RF, counterpoises are used for elevated antennas to create an artificial ground, and a ground plane is used as a reflective surface for radio waves.

If this sailor has an HF radio on board,
he has the perfect ground plane... salt water

As for your question about whether they can be counterproductive in certain scenarios, it largely depends on the specific setup and environment. For example, if radials are not properly installed or are of the wrong length, they may not provide an effective return path for RF, leading to inefficient operation of the antenna. Similarly, an improperly designed or installed counterpoise or ground plane could negatively affect the radiation pattern or efficiency of the antenna. Therefore, careful design and installation are key to ensuring optimal performance of these components in an antenna system.

The choice between a radial, counterpoise, or ground plane depends on the specific setup and environment of your antenna system. You might want to consider factors such as the height of your antenna above the ground, the availability of a good earth ground connection, and the frequency range of operation. It’s always a good idea to experiment with different setups to see what works best in your specific situation.


~ John Schouten VE7TI



2023-12-27

Season's Greetings and workshop update

 A brand new year and lots is happening:

We'd like to wish our GOTAs a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Hopefully, there were some ham radio toys waiting for you under the tree. 😊

GOTA Workshop

Our next GOTA Workshop for New and Unseasoned Hams is scheduled for Saturday, January 13th from 9:30-noon. The workshop will take place at our Operations Training Centre (OTC) at 5752 142 St. Surrey. The Workshop is free and the agenda is attached to this email. Please Register –> HERE

GOTA Net

Going forward, on the first Thursday evening of each month an Elmer will discuss a topic of interest with the Roundtable. Our last topic was DMR Radio as presented by John VE7TI. It was a lively session and provoked your Net Control to purchase an Anytone 578 DMR radio. As a follow-up, John will discuss IRLP on the Thursday, January 4th GOTA Net.

Links and Books

For those who may not have received this, here are two excellent articles by Reg VE7ZEB on radio purchase comparisons:

Article 1HTs Compared 2022

Article 2: My Ham Radio - Some radio things I find useful

And a few e-books Larry VE7LXB found very helpful his 1st year as a Ham:



That's it for now. Have fun and stay safe on New Years, catch you on the airwaves in January.

73,

Larry VE7LXB
John VE7TI



2023-11-01

SARC Buzz - November 2023

 

         SARCBUZZ

Monthly News and Announcements
Celebrating 50 years of service - 1975-2023

November, 2023

  • Contests
    Repeater Roundup Novem
    ber 11/12. The Repeater Roundup is a weekend-long event held on many of our local repeaters. The goal is to meet new people and work repeaters you might not usually key up. It's also a great way to get started with ham radio contests for folks who are primarily repeater users. Light up the air waves and make some noise on the great repeaters in the BC and Western Washington State areas! You don't even have to be local - any station may participate over Echolink, Allstar, or IRLP, if they are available. 2m QSO Party This contest is open to all certified amateurs. Each QSO must have one station within Metro Vancouver, Vancouver and Gulf Islands, Southwest BC in order to be considered for points.  November 11th RTTY Contest: November 11/12. This contest will also be held at the OTC. CQ WAE DX Contest (CQ): November 25/26. Email Larry ve7lxb@gmail.com or John brodiejb@shaw.ca  if you wish to participate in any of these contests or would like more information.
  • Wait List - Soldering Workshops
    Our October 21st Soldering Workshop had a full complement of participants and was a huge success. You can reply to this email if you would like to be put on a wait list for future Soldering Workshops. These workshops are for those new to soldering or wishing to refresh their skills. They include an introduction to soldering, types of soldering irons and stations, and the construction of a circuit board kit
    .
  • SARC Xmas Party Saturday December 2nd 12 noon This will be a Pot Luck get-together and is an adult only member activity. If you have Xmas decorations or a tree that you would like to donate or loan for this event and/or you would be willing to assist with decorating the OTC please reply to this email.

  • SARC Monthly Meeting
    Wednesday November 8th 7pm - 9pm. Location: Surrey Fire Hall Training Centre. The guest speaker for the next meeting is Les Tocko VA7OM who will speaking on Baluns: What Are They? Why Do We Need Them? How To Build Them.

  • SARC Communicator
    The November - December 2023 Communicator, digital periodical of Surrey Amateur Radio Communications is now available at
     https://tinyurl.com/SARC2023Nov-Dec

Read in over 145 countries, we bring you 134 pages of Amateur Radio content from the Southwest corner of Canada and elsewhere. With less fluff and ads than other Amateur Radio publications, you will find Amateur Radio related articles, projects, profiles, news, tips and how-to's for all levels of the hobby.

You can view or download it as a .PDF file:



The Communicator November - December 2023

Previous Communicator issues are at:

https://ve7sar.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Communicator

and a full index is HERE.

As always, thank you to our contributors, and your feedback is always welcome. The deadline for the next edition is December 15th. If you have news or events from your club or photos, stories, projects or other items of interest from BC or elsewhere, please contact us at communicator@ve7sar.net

  • Call-out to Icom Owners!
    John VE7TI would like to hear from members who own an iCom 7300, iCom 7610, or iCom 9700. If there is enough interest, the purpose is to start a user group to exchange hints and projects. A page will be included in subsequent Communicator editions if the interest is there. Send an email to communicator@ve7sar.net
  • Saturday Morning Breakfast and OTC
    SARC Meets informally for breakfast at Denny's Restaurant 6850 King George Boulevard in Surrey, between 7:30 and 9:00am each Saturday morning. We'd love for you to join us. Following breakfast, the OTC will be open from 9:30 until noon. You are invited to come down to the OTC with your equipment and any ham-related issues and our Elmers will try to assist you. You can also reach Elmers by email at elmers@ve7sar.net.

Thank you for being a SARCBuzz reader and subscriber.

73

Your SARC Team

Surrey Amateur Radio Communications

2023-10-31

The November - December Communicator is now on-line

Wrapping up another year!

The November - December 2023 Communicator, digital periodical of Surrey Amateur Radio Communications is now available for viewing or download.

Read in over 145 countries, we bring you 134 pages of Amateur Radio content from the Southwest corner of Canada and elsewhere. With less fluff and ads than other Amateur Radio publications, you will find Amateur Radio related articles, projects, profiles, news, tips and how-to's for all levels of the hobby.

You can view or download it as a .PDF file:  



Previous Communicator issues are at:

https://ve7sar.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Communicator

and a full index is HERE.  

As always, thank you to our contributors, and your feedback is always welcome. 

The deadline for the next edition is December 15th.

If you have news or events from your club or photos, stories, projects or other items of interest from BC or elsewhere, please contact us at communicator@ve7sar.net

73,

John VE7TI
'The Communicator' Editor



2023-10-26

November 11 is a great beginners contest weekend!

 

Two VHF contests to get you started

There are not one, but two VHF contests on the November 11th holiday weekend. These should be easy to work for both beginners and experienced hams alike.

2m QSO Party

Saturday 2023-11-11  10:00 – 14:30 (Pacific Time - Vancouver)
https://wp.rac.ca/144-mhz-2m-page/

This contest is open to all certified amateurs. Each QSO must have one station within Metro Vancouver, Vancouver and Gulf Islands, Southwest BC (Grids CN79, CN89 and CN99) or Northwest WA (only Grid Squares along the Canada-USA border: CN78, CN88, CN98) in order to be considered for points.

Valid FM operating frequencies include 146.415, 146.430, 146.445, 146.460, 146.475, 146.490, 146.505, 146.535, 146.550, 146.565, 146.580, 146.595, 147.420, 147.450, 147.480, 147.510, 147.540, 147.570 MHz. Valid SSB operating frequencies are between 144.200 and 144.275.

And…

The Repeater Roundabout

The Repeater Roundabout is a weekend-long event held on many of NW Washington’s nearby repeaters. The goal is to meet new people and work repeaters you might not usually key up. It’s also a great way to get started with ham radio contests for folk who are primarily repeater users. Light up the airwaves and make some noise on the great repeaters in the Puget Sound area, with a decent antenna and some height, most from Seattle north are accessible to us in southwest BC!

The Repeater Roundabout will begin on November 11th, 2023 at 00:00, and end on November 12th, 2023 at 23:59, Pacific time.

Anyone with a ham radio license can participate ! You don’t even have to be local; stations may participate over Echolink, Allstar, or IRLP if they are available.

Joining the Repeater Roundabout

To get started, check out the Rules page.

Then, check out the list of 91 participating repeaters from across 43 radio groups that you’ll play on during the contest. You can also view the map to see where the repeaters are located.


The website  provides files to program your radios with CHiRP and other software.

Visit their logging page to log your contacts and submit your logs for scoring.

Join their Discord chat server to chat with other participants, arrange skeds, and get help.

~


 

2023-10-22

Our first soldering workshop


Demand exceeded seats

 Larry VE7LXB signed up 15 hams, who now have a better understanding of proper soldering techniques. Thanks to Dino VE7NX and John VE7TI at our first SARC Soldering Workshop. We already have a waitlist for a repeat.











~


2023-10-15

Another successful POTA activation

Dmitry and Alex score big 

Alex and I just came back from another successful POTA activation at our favourite spot, Boundary Bay (Mud Bay) park. We ran out of daylight, and could only do FT8. We got 19 contacts, mostly from the US but one from Chile. Almost got South Africa, but could not reach back to him. We used a 40 feet fiberglass mast with EFHW tuned for 20M on it. Antenna was right next to the salt water, so the contacts were plentiful today. We had to bike there, weight was an issue, but we had a successful portable operation.  

Both of us had fun. I have attached a few pictures:





~Dmitry VA7DVO


Counterpoise, Radials, and Ground Plane

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