Dipole-2 different wire sizes?
 

I have a dipole with 134 feet of 20 gauge insulated copper wire. What would happen if I wanted to replace one leg (67 feet) with 18 gauge copper clad insulated steel wire but chose to keep the other leg with the 20 gauge wire?
Tks,
Joel

May stay up longer, not much better performance, and have a slight different tuning.

Dipole-2 different wire sizes?
 

"Joel365" wrote in message
...

I have a dipole with 134 feet of 20 gauge insulated copper wire. What
would happen if I wanted to replace one leg (67 feet) with 18 gauge
copper clad insulated steel wire but chose to keep the other leg with
the 20 gauge wire?
Tks,
Joel

You probably would not notice anything on 80 meters. It is possiable that
the wire not being insulated and a differant size will cause a slight shift
in the resonate frequency, but I doubt that you will notice it.
It is sort of like having a truck load of bricks. If you add one more
brick, there is an effect, just too slight to make any differance. Unless
someone told you the brick was added, you would not notice it.

Dipole-2 different wire sizes?
 

"Joel365" wrote in message
...

I have a dipole with 134 feet of 20 gauge insulated copper wire. What
would happen if I wanted to replace one leg (67 feet) with 18 gauge
copper clad insulated steel wire but chose to keep the other leg with
the 20 gauge wire?
Hi
Interesting question.
As the others I don't think anything useful will happen.
In such cases it is convenient to put the things to their limits.
Imagine the diameter of one half is infinite.
You now have a quarter wave over a ground plane.A well known case.
Impedance is halved .
Resonnance is only dependant of the remaining wire and unchanged.
Your result should be somewhere between no change and that.
Another similar question :
Instead of burying lots of radials at the base of a vertical
what about digging (or using) a well and having a quarter wave of wire
dropped into it ?




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Dipole-2 different wire sizes?
 

On Mon, 2 Jul 2012 14:54:38 +0000, Joel365 wrote:

I have a dipole with 134 feet of 20 gauge insulated copper wire. What
would happen if I wanted to replace one leg (67 feet) with 18 gauge
copper clad insulated steel wire but chose to keep the other leg with
the 20 gauge wire?

Hair will grow in the palm of your hand.

The resonance will change because of the conductivity of the copper wire vs the copper clad wire.
Although the electrons travels on the outside ( skin ) of the wire, the core still plays a part in the equasion because the resistance changes with the materials.

Dipole-2 different wire sizes?
 

On Jul 2, 10:54*am, Joel365 wrote:
I have a dipole with 134 feet of 20 gauge insulated copper wire. *What
would happen if I wanted to replace one leg (67 feet) with 18 gauge
copper clad insulated steel wire but chose to keep the other leg with
the 20 gauge wire?
Tks,
Joel

--
Joel365

Shouldn't make a differance.

Dipole-2 different wire sizes?
 

On Mon, 2 Jul 2012 14:54:38 +0000, Joel365
wrote:

I have a dipole with 134 feet of 20 gauge insulated copper wire. What
would happen if I wanted to replace one leg (67 feet) with 18 gauge
copper clad insulated steel wire but chose to keep the other leg with
the 20 gauge wire?

No effect. The bandwidth of the antenna is determined by the diameter
of the conductor. The wider the conductor, the greater the bandwidth.
The difference between 18 and 20AWG is negligible and has no effect.

However, 18AWG copper wire is not going to support itself for very
long. Copper is soft and breaks easily. The weight of the center
balun, plus the coax weight, plus any birds that might roost on the
wire, are going to break it. Please consider using heavier gauge
wire, copperweld, or at least support the center balun.

As I vaguely recall, NEC (National Electrical Code) Section 810
suggests 14AWG minimum for antennas. I'm too lazy to find the chapter
and verse.

My favorite antenna wire is stainless steel fishing line. Very strong
and doesn't rust. The problem is that as soon as I buy a roll, one of
the local hams invents an antenna project that consumes the entire
roll.
http://www.alltackle.com/american_fishing_wire_stainless_steel_trolling_wir e.htm




--
# Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
# 831-336-2558
# http://802.11junk.com
# http://www.LearnByDestroying.com AE6KS

Dipole-2 different wire sizes?
 

On 7/2/2012 3:08 PM, Allodoxaphobia wrote:
On Mon, 2 Jul 2012 14:54:38 +0000, Joel365 wrote:

I have a dipole with 134 feet of 20 gauge insulated copper wire. What
would happen if I wanted to replace one leg (67 feet) with 18 gauge
copper clad insulated steel wire but chose to keep the other leg with
the 20 gauge wire?

Hair will grow in the palm of your hand.


I'm 70. Hair grows everywhere on me. My barber charges $5 just for an
estimate.

Dipole-2 different wire sizes?
 

On 7/2/2012 10:59 PM, John S wrote:
On 7/2/2012 3:08 PM, Allodoxaphobia wrote:
On Mon, 2 Jul 2012 14:54:38 +0000, Joel365 wrote:

I have a dipole with 134 feet of 20 gauge insulated copper wire. What
would happen if I wanted to replace one leg (67 feet) with 18 gauge
copper clad insulated steel wire but chose to keep the other leg with
the 20 gauge wire?

Hair will grow in the palm of your hand.


I'm 70. Hair grows everywhere on me. My barber charges $5 just for an
estimate.


EXCEPT my head!