Anyone tested that gray UV resitant PVC pipe? What about that for ladder line
spacers?

-bill

Richard Clark wrote:

On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 23:38:29 GMT, zeno wrote:
ps. has anyone actually heard of a diy ladder line having a spacer melt down
while running power? no reason why it couldn't happen....

Hi Bill,

This has never been reported here. Instead, it is noted by the
characteristic Z of the line being lower than computed. Such
measurements (of the characteristic Z) can be performed through a few
simple but still time consuming tests.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 02:36:42 GMT, zeno wrote:
Anyone tested that gray UV resitant PVC pipe? What about that for ladder line
spacers?

Hi Bill,

Each formulation seems to be distinct, but offhand I don't recall
which is which. To broaden your experience with this forum, visit:
http://groups.google.com/groups?oi=d...mateur.antenna
and checkout their advanced search page. Use "PVC" and "Loss" as
keywords in the search. The topic is not so novel as to be sparsely
represented in the archive.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

"zeno" wrote in message ...
Anyone tested that gray UV resitant PVC pipe? What about that for ladder
line
spacers?



I can't say that I tested it but I have an 8 element 220 mhz beam on a 10
foot piece of the grey electrical conduit that has been up over 15 years. I
think it is about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

Hi Richard,

Thanks for the link to the archives, I will check it out.

I imagine there a few hams who want to make their own ladder line these days.
Other than finding some vintage ceramic spacers (rare) what are they using?

Apparently paraffin soaked dowels are not without some shortcomings. I think
there is at least one ham who has a cottage industry selling his homemade version
ladder-line which, from what I can gather, utilizes the black poly piping that I
mentioned earlier.

I think I came across at least one ham who has used the grey UV/PVC pipe which he
slices (saws) lengthwise and then drills holes and/or notches etc. This seems a
bit labor intensive if one wants to make any quantity, but maybe not as much as I
think.

If the UV/PVC pipe is a good solution, I might be able to track down a source of
3/8" UV/PVC pipe which I would not slice up, but just cut into 6" lengths and
then devise a fastening system on either end for the wire.

Bill

Richard Clark wrote:

On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 02:36:42 GMT, zeno wrote:
Anyone tested that gray UV resitant PVC pipe? What about that for ladder line
spacers?

Hi Bill,

Each formulation seems to be distinct, but offhand I don't recall
which is which. To broaden your experience with this forum, visit:
http://groups.google.com/groups?oi=d...mateur.antenna
and checkout their advanced search page. Use "PVC" and "Loss" as
keywords in the search. The topic is not so novel as to be sparsely
represented in the archive.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 17:44:50 GMT, zeno wrote:

If the UV/PVC pipe is a good solution, I might be able to track down a source of
3/8" UV/PVC pipe which I would not slice up, but just cut into 6" lengths and
then devise a fastening system on either end for the wire.

Hi Bill,

The sellers and methods are as diverse as the stars. It is really
very simple with few gotchas. It really is more a matter of build
and test - the only real validation you can trust.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

I imagine there a few hams who want to make their own ladder line these days.
Other than finding some vintage ceramic spacers (rare) what are they using?

Hi Zeno, Read back thru this thread, there have been all sorts of suggestions.
You can use cut up plastic coathangers, plexiglass, PVC, cut-up vinyl chopping
boards ect., for spacers. The spacing can be 1"-6". The wire can be #14
insulated-#20 insulated or uninsulated. Saw a number of suggestions to get it
in the house.
My suggestion is to pick out a method and materials that you like, and try it
out. You will probably be pleased with the results. I like all my ladder
(open wire) line
73 Gary N4AST

I just found several hundered feet of used #10 solid copper, insulated
wire, it was pulled out of my well (submersible 240V pump) a few years
ago. Any reason, aside from weight, not to use this #10 wire for
constructing diy ladder-line? I understand the bigger the wire the less
the loss (what little there is with ladder-line), also I understand that
solid core copper will stay straighter and maintain the spacing better
than braided. The insulation is kind of thick and rubbery (it went down to
the well submersible), would it be better to cut off the insulation or
just leave it? If cut off do I need to clean it up further or just leave
the residue on the wire? Since this is three wires braded together I would
have to do some major straigtening first. Maybe this is just a bit too
heavy, now that I think of it, there is alot of copper there. Any
motivating advantages???

Bill

Larry Gagnon wrote:

Hello to all. I intend to erect an 80 meter full size dipole and feed
it with homebrew open ladder line. Would anyone care to reply as to how
to construct ladder line easily and effectively? How does one determine
spacing to get X ohms impedance line?

Also any ideas on how such line can easily be fed in through a window
with a wood frame would be greatly appreciated.

Larry Gagnon VE7EA

--
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zeno wrote:
I just found several hundered feet of used #10 solid copper, insulated
wire, it was pulled out of my well (submersible 240V pump) a few years
ago. Any reason, aside from weight, not to use this #10 wire for
constructing diy ladder-line?

Maybe you should patent the idea of a self-supporting transmission line?
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp



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Anyone just use lengths of copper pipe or tubing? You might only need a
tiny spacer every 5 feet or so. Was that you or someone else who made the
ladder line out of tubing shaped like a sine wave.... hi hi

seriously, though, if one needed a section of ladder line to really stay
put (say a section which gets nervously close to other naughty metal things
or wire, why couldn't you fabricate just that section out of copper tubing
and then go the rest of the way with wire? Are there impedance issues when
changing the wire thickness along the way?

73

Bill

Cecil Moore wrote:

zeno wrote:
I just found several hundered feet of used #10 solid copper, insulated
wire, it was pulled out of my well (submersible 240V pump) a few years
ago. Any reason, aside from weight, not to use this #10 wire for
constructing diy ladder-line?

Maybe you should patent the idea of a self-supporting transmission line?
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp

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zeno wrote:
seriously, though, if one needed a section of ladder line to really stay
put (say a section which gets nervously close to other naughty metal things
or wire, why couldn't you fabricate just that section out of copper tubing
and then go the rest of the way with wire? Are there impedance issues when
changing the wire thickness along the way?

I have used solid copper wire sliding inside copper tubing to achieve
an adjustable length transmission line for matching purposes.
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp



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