Hear! Hear!

I would have been off the air forever if this newsgroup had been
my only source of knowledge. I would have been afraid!
What I didn't know about Jx and SWR didn't make any difference -- I was on
the air and really enjoying the hobby! I didn't even know how to solder
then!

Irv VE6BP (first licenced in '58)

"Mike Coslo" wrote in message
...
On 8/2/2011 7:33 PM, Tom Horne wrote:

No but it does make it more dangerous to persons and things on which it
might fall if it breaks.

Come on, Guys!

While it's a great idea to follow every official code and reccomendation,
and that no one in their "right mind" would ever consider anything less
than the lowest gauge copperweld wire for their antenna, the original
question is answerable by "Yes, you can make a serviceable antenna out of
speaker wire."

Will it stay up as long as a Copperweld antenna held in place by1/4 inch
thick 100 percent nylon rope?

No it won't.

But it will work. Surprisingly well, in fact.

Let the new guys learn, and throw up antennas that work. As they have to
put up a new one every so often, they will eventually learn about more
long lasting antennas, as well as ones that might have a better pattern,
and other effects that bear on performance.

But the idea that hams are responsible for restrictive covenents (in
reality, Cable television is more responsible for antenna covenants than
anything else) or that the choice of speaker wire is going to electrocute
the neighbors is doing a disservice to the new guys and gals.

I can say this with some conviction because I was one of those noobs once,
and nearly didn't even get on HF because with all the input, I gave up on
putting up an antenna because nothing was good enough. I didn't have
enough space, I didn't have enough height. There just wasn't any use in
getting on the low bands. I needed a separate antenna for every band
because ladder line was awful and traps were bad and every other option
was awful except for some idealized correct antenna, coax fed, at the
proper height.

- 73 de Mike N3LI -