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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Cecil Moore wrote:

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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That's interesting, so you find wire whose OD is just right for the ID of the
tubing and that makes a good enough connection and is adjustable. How much
adjustment were you after, inches or feet?

-Bill

zeno wrote:

Cecil Moore wrote:
I have used solid copper wire sliding inside copper tubing to achieve
an adjustable length transmission line for matching purposes.

That's interesting, so you find wire whose OD is just right for the ID of the
tubing and that makes a good enough connection and is adjustable. How much
adjustment were you after, inches or feet?

I just relied on skin effect to effect the proper conductive function. RF
won't flow into the inside of the tubing if it has any other "choice". :-)

The thing was adjustable from 20 feet to 35 feet in order to make a G5RV
truly a fully functional all-HF-band antenna. It really did work nearly
perfectly and could be automated using something like a screwdriver motor.
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp



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On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 00:10:50 GMT, zeno wrote:

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?

Zeno, all of your suggestions would increase the weight of the
feedline, and possibly stretch the antenna. FYI, a 500-ft. spool of
#14 or #12 insulated, stranded copper wire from Lowe's Home
Improvement (or Home Depot) runs about $15.00

Bob
k5qwg



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

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Bob Miller wrote:


Zeno, all of your suggestions would increase the weight of the
feedline, and possibly stretch the antenna. FYI, a 500-ft. spool of
#14 or #12 insulated, stranded copper wire from Lowe's Home
Improvement (or Home Depot) runs about $15.00

Bob
k5qwg

Hi Bob,

I did pick up a 500' roll of #12 insulated from the Home Depot here (current
price here is about $32), but it seems like this braided copper will require
too many spacers to keep it straight. I am thinking about returning it for some
solid copper #12. I think the solid will hold shape better as a ladder-line
with a minimum of spacers. Also I see no reason not to go with bare wire
instead of insulated.

Can anyone run down the pros and cons of bare vs. insulated for ladder-line. I
understand there is ever so slightly less loss with bare wire.


Bill