FWIW, my experience indicates that solid wire is more likely to break from
metal fatigue than stranded. Stranded also seems less likely to kink during
installation -- death to wire under stress.
In addition to preserving the surface finish, insulated wire antennas need 1
to 2% less length than the same size bare wire, sometimes an advantage.
Regards, Joel Hallas, W1ZR
Westport, CT
-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Rick -
DJ0IP / NJ0IP
Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 9:48 AM
To: 'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'
Subject: Re: [TenTec] OT: THHN Wire in Germany
I use Wireman CQ-532 stranded Copperweld insulated wire.
Though slightly thin (#18), it has two distinct advantages over what you
guys use:
1. It does not stretch
2. I get it for free
(#2 is the main argument - hi).
Where it has to carry a little more current (i.e., the vertical segment of
my 160m Inverted-L), I simply use two pieces in parallel (twisted).
Of course there is one nice argument for using soft-drawn copper wire for an
80m dipole.
If you cut it for the SSB segment of the band and put it up just in time for
the CQWW SSB contest in October, one month later it has stretched enough
that you can use it in the CQWW CW contest! ;-)
As for stranded vs. solid, I have not heard the story about the bandwidth,
but it is a lot more flexible, which makes a difference when building
portable antennas that go up and down all the time.
73
Rick, DJ0IP
-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Bob McGraw
- K4TAX
Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 2:16 PM
To: Clayton Brantley; Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] OT: THHN Wire in Germany
Comment.....unproven.....leave the insulation on the wire. It serves to
prevent oxidation of the copper, to which oxidation provides a higher skin
resistance than bare clean copper.
I use #12 AWG solid for my antennas and #10 AWG solid would likely be
better, although heavier and a bit more costly, but being less likely to
stretch with snow and ice.
73
Bob, K4TAX
----- Original Message -----
From: "Clayton Brantley" <clayton_n4ev@yahoo.com>
To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 7:06 AM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] OT: THHN Wire in Germany
Rick: The 1.5mm wire will work just fine. It will stretch a bit more than
the 2.5mm. Both will handle all the power available. The THHN is just the
outer covering and contributes nothing to the mix.
I'm sure that the single strand wire in Germany will be equal to what is
available in the states.
73 Clayton N4EV
________________________________
From: Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP <Rick@DJ0IP.de>
To: 'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment' <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 2:56 AM
Subject: [TenTec] OT: THHN Wire in Germany
Is anyone here coming over to Germany for the Friedrichshafen Hamfest in
June?
If anyone is coming over, perhaps you could bring me a couple of samples of
THHN wire so that I can see what we have been discussing here. Most likely
the stuff used in our house wiring is similar stuff. Reward: Free Beer!
I checked. We have two sizes: 1.5mm (~AWG-15) and 2.5mm (~AWG-10).
I suppose the 1.5mm stuff is sufficient for our needs, since we can only run
750w.
73
Rick, DJ0IP
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