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Old October 7th 06, 06:05 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
[email protected] jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,898
Default Why is copper better than steel for wire antenna?

Tony VE6MVP wrote:
On Sat, 07 Oct 2006 03:25:03 GMT, wrote:


Antenna wire would be one of the lowest cost elements of a complete
system, which questions the cost effectiveness of savings.


Sure, but clothesline wire is easily available in this small town.
Copper wire means I'd have to search it out in the nearest big city.


Tony


All the wire antennas I've built for the last 20 years or so have
been made out of electrical wire from the local home improvement
store.

They alway seem to outlive my interest in them.


Just standard household electrical wiring? So purchase some two wire
(actually three wire if you include the ground wire) electrical cable
and use the black and white wires? Will the insulation withstand the
out doors? Or do you strip off the insulation and use them bare?


Tony


Standard, single strand, solid, electrical wire, normally with the
insulation left on.

I usually buy blue so it blends with the sky.

Leaving the insulation on shortens the wire required ever so slightly.

The insulation lasts for years on everything I've ever put up.

--
Jim Pennino

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