Is there any advantage to open wire line construction vs the
bidirectional coax Beverage that ON4UN describes? RG6 is cheap and
strong with a copperweld core or use any other coax from CATV surplus to
RG58/59. Some are UV resistant, flooded, etc. The only downside I see
is two transformers and two feedlines are required and perhaps a db or
two loss for the reverse direction, which really doesn't matter. A plus
is no relays. A coax version sure is simpler to build and maintain. Of
course coax doesn't have the classic Beverage look ;-)
Grant KZ1W
see also http://w4hod.org/K4IQJ%20Beverage%20Talk.pdf for other
alternative designs.
On 5/1/2014 8:12 AM, Hardy Landskov wrote:
I've used window line for many years and it is a maintenance hassle.
The heat and UV here in AZ just eats the stuff up where it has to be
replaced every 5 years or so, and I do twist the line. The last wind
storm we had ripped the line right out of the DXE black plastic
insulators which are not all that good either.
So I am looking with keen interest at all these homebrew
open-wire-line construction techniques.
YMMV.
73 Hardy N7RT
----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Waters" <mikewate@gmail.com>
To: "Jim Garland" <4cx250b@miamioh.edu>
Cc: "topband" <Topband@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2014 7:39 PM
Subject: Re: Topband: Beverage wire question
Jim,
On Wed, Apr 30, 2014 at 10:41 AM, Jim Garland <4cx250b@miamioh.edu>
wrote:
I've been using 450 ohm ladder line ... and the ladder line requires
constant maintenance.
I've heard that twisting that line solves the breakage issues. You need
many twists in the entire length of the line.
I want to replace it with parallel wires, which run through ceramic
feedthrough insulators
And, I've heard that running wire through ceramic insulators like
that will
eventually abrade the wire. Holes in ceramic insulators are usually
quite
rough.
I have no experience with either of the above. Here, we use plastic
electric fence and homebrew plastic insulators; and the wire drops
into a
slot instead of having to string it through a hole. Works for me.
I think there's some photos at
http://www.w0btu.com/Beverage_antennas.html .
73, Mike
www.w0btu.com
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