Around here that wire gets pretty well corroded after a few years just in
the air from acid rain and salt laden fog off the ocean 20-30 miles away.
I wonder what that does to the conductivity? OTOH my yagi elements from a
different alloy are still rather shiny after 30-40 years.
THHN for wire antennas seems to hold up the PVC layer 10-15 years then
becomes fodder for elevated radials.
Carl
KM1H
Subject: Re: Topband: Deployable radials for 80/160M
One issue not mentioned for radials on rather than in the ground, is the
nylon outer sheath on THHN doesn't like UV, so after a year or two the
snake sheds its skin and makes a mess. PVC just gets dry and cracks off
the wire from UV, might take a couple more years for that to happen.
Polyethylene is the best choice for covering if it can be found at a
reasonable price, or stick with bare copper or my favorite, aluminum
electric fence wire. For $50 1/2 mile of 17ga on Amazon. That's 40 66'
radials. It is strong and if only down for the summer will last. Or
just use new every year and recycle last years. You can't measure the
gain change of conductivity of copper vs aluminum.
Grant KZ1W
On 6/26/2014 10:46 AM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:
On 6/26/2014 5:17 AM, Dave Heil wrote:
That seems a little too much work when Lowe's sells 500 foot spools of
insulated #14 for $45.
Also try:
www.interstatewire.com
Rick N6RK
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