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VertX — 24 × 5 m radial kit
VertX — 24 × 5 m radial kit
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VertX 24 × 5 m Radial Kit
Twenty-four equal five-metre on-ground radials for a defined, repeatable VertX return-current field—120 metres of useful-length conductor rather than a headline built around radial count.
A simple 360° field that is easier to distribute and document than a mixture of lengths.
The kit keeps every conductor at a useful length instead of increasing count by replacing long radials with short ones.
Soil, frequency, spacing, feedline routing and surroundings still determine the final ground loss and current distribution.
Why 24 × 5 m?
The vertical and its radial field form one RF circuit. Rudy Severns, N6LF, showed why radial count cannot be separated from radial length, soil and frequency. Twenty-four five-metre conductors add useful coverage beyond the compact 16 × 5 m field without making “more short wires” the design objective.
This is a practical VertX option, not a universal optimum. A neat SWR curve does not measure ground-system loss. Compare the complete installed antenna, keep the feedline route fixed and use repeatable impedance, current or field measurements when the difference matters.
Kit Configuration
| Radial count | 24 |
|---|---|
| Length per radial | 5 m |
| Total supplied wire | 120 m |
| Conductor | DX-FS2 hard-drawn tinned copper, 36 × 0.254 mm |
| Copper cross-section | Approximately 1.82 mm² |
| Insulation | Black cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) |
| Overall diameter | Approximately 3.15 mm |
| Wire mass | Approximately 21.5 g/m |
| Breaking load | Approximately 75 kg |
Install the Field Before Final Tuning
- Distribute the 24 radials around the feedpoint as evenly as the site permits.
- Keep the radial connection low and mechanically sound; avoid leaving the bundle coiled near the feedpoint.
- Lay the wire on the soil, secure it with suitable staples or use shallow burial where local conditions allow.
- Install the complete radial field before the final radiator adjustment or tuner setup.
- Route the coax deliberately and check its exterior for common-mode current rather than assuming the radial plate controls every return path.
Choose by Site, Not by Count Alone
| VertX option | Practical role | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| 16 × 5 m | Compact useful-length baseline | Not a perfect ground plane on every soil |
| 24 × 5 m | All-equal step up to 120 m of wire | Lower loss must still be established in the installation |
| 32 × 5 m | All-equal field with 160 m total wire | More wires do not create a site-independent optimum |
VertX Documentation
Radiator selection, mutual coupling, radial choices and the measurement plan.
Why the useful comparison is the complete installed ground system.
Follow the Current Path
Explore more RF.Guru engineering notes on verticals, radial systems and installed measurements.
Join the notification list →Mini-FAQ
- Are all 24 radials five metres long? Yes. This kit contains 24 equal five-metre radials, for 120 m of total wire.
- Is 24 × 5 m always better than 16 × 5 m? It provides more useful-length conductor and coverage, but the installed difference depends on soil, layout, frequency and surroundings.
- Should the radials be resonant? On-ground radials form a lossy distributed return system. Do not treat each wire as an isolated elevated resonant radial.
- Do I tune VertX before installing the radials? No. Install the complete radiator and radial field before final adjustment.
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