I've been using 450 ohm ladder line for my two bi-directional 720 ft
beverages. These are supported on 4x4 posts, spaced 60 ft apart. I'm in a
windy area, and the ladder line requires constant maintenance. I want to
replace it with parallel wires, which run through ceramic feedthrough
insulators screwed onto each post. The wires will be anchored only at their
ends and under considerable tension. I'm thinking of using solid 14 awg or
12 awg copper clad steel wire (Wireman 502 or 503). I know there are less
expensive choices, but at this point I'm so tired of working on the
beverages, that the durability and reliability is more important to me than
the expense. I want to make sure that The Wirmean coils the wire on a
spool, so that it can be easily unwound, and also that it's not too stiff to
handle. Obviously, I don't want wire that's going to go "sproing" and start
tangling itself when I try to thread a 720 ft length through the insulators.
I'd appreciate any suggestions or comments from people who have used this
stuff. Is 14awg adequate, or do I need to go with the heavier gauge wire?
Tnx,
Jim W8ZR
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