Your question cannot be answered unless you specify the maximum allowable
temperature of the wire and whether your antenna is in northern Alaska in
midwinter at midnight, or in New Mexico at midsummer at noon.

But to be on the safe side, allow for a dissipation of 1 watt per foot
length of dipole wire which will then get warm in the centre, somewhat above
ambient, when in a slight breeze.

So for a 130 foot, 160-meter dipole, allow 130 watts dissipation. This
antenna will easily handle 1 kilowatt of Tx power at a typical efficiency of
about 87 percent for copper-plated, stranded steel wire.
----
Reg, G4FGQ



"Ken" wrote in message
...
What is the maximum power I can safely use on 160M and 80M on 26 ga.
copper-plated stranded steel wire? 200 watts?

What is the minimum gauge for a longwire of this material if I want it
to handle 600 watts?

Ken KC2JDY

Ken
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