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Old August 5th 11, 08:21 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
Sal[_3_] Sal[_3_] is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jul 2011
Posts: 117
Default Using speaker wire for a dipole


"Jim Lux" wrote in message
...

Fusing current is remarkably high for small conductors in free air, even
for 100% duty cycle.

AWG30 (0.01" diameter) = about 10 Amps (Preece equation)

Scales as 1.5 power..
so, going to AWG 20 (.0316") - about 50 amps..

Considering an inverted V dipole with feedpoint Z of 50 ohms, at 1kW, the
current is about 5 amps...

So running that legal limit amp with a brick on the key to your AWG30
stealth antenna won't melt it. (it probably will get pretty warm.. and
corona at the ends might be spectacular)


Thank you very much. It's exactly what I was wondering about.

"Sal"