Digging a hole for the first DX Engineering 80 meter 1/4 wave vertical. Hopefully this will be the first dig out of 4 for a 80 meter 4-square phased vertical array. Each antenna requires a huge radial field, as seen from the short cut circle around the dig. 60 radials, each 65 feet long, for a total of 3840 feet of radial wire.
The vertical is currently on backorder, so I’ll have time to dig the 300+ feet trench back to the shack. We’ll use “Betsy” to make the trench. 1 1/2 inch pvc will house the LMR-400 coax line, to keep it from the critters. More to come.
![]](https://www.torlo.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/ham-radio/IMG_1302-20211002.jpg)
A piece of art. DX Engineering radial ground plate. First class parts, and first class service. Great company. Waiting for the concrete to cure, and continue to get some 1 1/2 inch PVC pipe in the ground to pull the LMR-400 Coax through. Then the real fun starts. Stretching out radials. A lot of them.
Betsy doing the trench work for 1 1/2 pipe out to the antenna site
Pipe done, and LMR-400 pulled through about 270 feet of pipe. Installed the radial plate and feed line pigtail. Ready to lay down radials.
Cranking the generator up to solder the PL-259 on the coax.
Testing coax length and connection. Next: Mow the grass all the way to the ground, then lay radials.
60 radials, each 65 feet long, installed. A lot of work.
No the wait for the arrival of the antenna begins.
Done…
