wrote

I'm putting up a long wire antenna for a SW receiver. The area I live
in has severe restrictions, so I need to hide it, or at least have it
not be obvious. For the end insulators I was looking for small, about
1" long skinny plastic or ceramic insulators. I know they used to be
available, but I can't find them anywhere. Can anyone point to a
source for them? All I can find are 3" insulators with a 1" diameter.
These are much too obvious for me to use. Thanks.

Jer

Jer,

No insulator is required. Either kevlar or cotton line (even when wet) have
about the same resistance as a wet or dry insulator, which is next to
nothing. Insulators or the lack thereof do not affect transmitting (1kw)
and they most certainly do not affect receiving. About the only thing the
special antenna-to-rope/line insulators do provide, is a form or strain
relief due to the wide-radius of turn around the insulator. This means when
the line holding the antenna breaks, it will probably break at your rope
knot, not at the soft-curve around the insulator. Big deal, huh. To conceal
a wire antenna, don't bother with insulators of any kind.

73,

Jack