On 01/03/2011 02:39 PM, RHF wrote:
On Jan 3, 7:31 am, wrote:
Aiming to raise a new wire antenna here the next couple of weeks, and
I'd like to get some Flexweave for the run, probably 14 gauge will be
adequate for my purpose. I'd like to get it coated with either PVC or
the shrinktube material.

Does anyone have any experience with either of these coverings? Can
anyone say whether the material retains its flexibility, or if the
wire is stiffened by the covering? I'd surely like the flexibility to
remain, if at all possible.

Thanks,
Bruce

IIRC the PAR EF-SWL Antenna uses Flexweave
as the Wire Antenna Element : Had one out for
many years (7~10) and it works well; the the
Flexweave wire has held-up a-ok.

-just-looked- Par Electronics EF-SWL Antenna
{End-Fed Short-Wave Listener Antenna}
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/2205.html
Uses 45 Feet of #14 Black Polyethylene Coated
Flex-Weave Wire made-up of 168 Strands of #36
AWG Woven Copper.
http://www.grove-ent.com/ANT8.html

First had it as a simple Inverted "L" Antenna with a 15-Foot
Up-Leg {Vertical} and a 30-Foot Out-Arm {Horizontal}.
Later changed it to a Off-Center-Fed* Dipole with a 17-Foot
Short-Arm and a 28-Foot Long-Arm.

* The PAR EF-SWL's Matching Transformer
http://www.parelectronics.com/pdf/EF-SWL.pdf
allows it to have the two Windings shorted together
with a Common Ground for an Inverted "L" Antenna
-or- Separate for a 'Floating' Two Terminal Antenna
Winding for a : Dipole; OCF-Dipole; Windom; Loop; etc.

-imho- the 'flex-weave' is good stuff - iane ~ RHF
http://www.davisrf.com/flexweave.php
.
.
If you want to get technical about it, RF doesn't like braided round
conductors as much as it likes smooth conductors with lots of surface. I
use #12 solid copper wire with green plastic insulation for my verticals.