General exam question G9B06
Subelement G9, ANTENNAS AND FEED LINES· Group G9B
Where should the radial wires of a ground-mounted vertical antenna system be placed?
- A.As high as possible above the ground
- B.Parallel to the antenna element
- C.On the surface or buried a few inches below the ground (correct answer)
- D.At the center of the antenna
WhyThe radial wires of a ground-mounted vertical antenna system should be placed on the surface or buried a few inches below the ground. A ground-mounted vertical's radial system works best laid right on the ground surface or buried just a few inches deep, close enough to the earth to serve as an effective RF ground reference without needing to be elevated, answer C. Radials aren't meant to run high above ground, run parallel to the vertical element itself, or converge only at the antenna's physical center point in a way distinct from radiating outward from the base, so A, B, and D are wrong.
Published 2026-08-28 · Last updated 2026-08-28 · Question text is verbatim from the 2023-2027 NCVEC Element 3 pool (public domain); the explanation above is original writing, see our methodology.
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