On Sun, 10 Jul 2005 09:11:20 -0400, JohnM wrote in
:

Wire antennae in particular.. Is there a preferred material? Copper,
steel, stainless, etc?

If copper is better, for whatever reason, is it best for it to be bare
or would I benefit from an electrical wire with either plastic or
varnish insulation?


Copper and aluminum are nearly identical in their RF properties, and
you wouldn't notice any difference between them.

Bare copper tends to corrode more easily than aluminum, so if you use
copper outside make sure it's insulated. Enameled copper is best. You
can insulate any exposed copper with spray enamel or by dipping it in
melted wax.


Guage.. am I better off with a with a 10 gauge wire than, say, a 22
gauge? If thicker is better then where is the limit of gain?


The wire is too thin when it won't support its own weight, the
weather, or the wildlife -- 22 AWG might be about the smallest
practical size for a 9' leg. Actually, I wouldn't even bother using
anything that small -- you can get lots of good enameled copper by
scrapping an old motor from a furnace, washer, dryer, etc. Aluminum
fence wire can be had pretty cheap at your local hardware mall. If you
want some really big wire, bundle up some smaller wire and twist.






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