Hey. I'm newly licensed tech (studying for General). I looked up
my questions in Handbook but could not find info. I am construct-
ing a dipole antenna for 15 Meters from insulated 18 guage battery
wire from the auto parts store. Since I will be going QRP for the
first weeks or month, I am not worried about power handling
capacity. But, will I have to upgrade my wire when I go to 50
or 100 watts output? Also, I have a question about the insulated
wi is the insulation an impediment to the functioning of the
antenna on HF? Thanks for being patient with a newbie.

Rockinghorse Winner
KI6AZS

Hey. I'm newly licensed tech (studying for General). I looked up
my questions in Handbook but could not find info. I am construct-
ing a dipole antenna for 15 Meters from insulated 18 guage battery
wire from the auto parts store. Since I will be going QRP for the
first weeks or month, I am not worried about power handling
capacity. But, will I have to upgrade my wire when I go to 50
or 100 watts output? Also, I have a question about the insulated
wi is the insulation an impediment to the functioning of the
antenna on HF? Thanks for being patient with a newbie.


Short answers: 18 guage will handle 100 watt transmitter. Insulated
wire will provide no discernable effect to your antenna performance.


Ed K7AAT

Thank's, Ed!

73

Rockinghorse Winner
KI6AZS

Also, in addition to Ed's comment, #16 AWG will handle 1 KW with no problem.

AK

Rockinghorse Winner wrote:

Hey. I'm newly licensed tech (studying for General). I looked up
my questions in Handbook but could not find info. I am construct-
ing a dipole antenna for 15 Meters from insulated 18 guage battery
wire from the auto parts store. Since I will be going QRP for the
first weeks or month, I am not worried about power handling
capacity. But, will I have to upgrade my wire when I go to 50
or 100 watts output? Also, I have a question about the insulated
wi is the insulation an impediment to the functioning of the
antenna on HF? Thanks for being patient with a newbie.

Rockinghorse Winner
KI6AZS

Rockinghorse Winner wrote:
Hey. I'm newly licensed tech (studying for General). I looked up
my questions in Handbook but could not find info. I am construct-
ing a dipole antenna for 15 Meters from insulated 18 guage battery
wire from the auto parts store. Since I will be going QRP for the
first weeks or month, I am not worried about power handling
capacity. But, will I have to upgrade my wire when I go to 50
or 100 watts output? Also, I have a question about the insulated
wi is the insulation an impediment to the functioning of the
antenna on HF? Thanks for being patient with a newbie.

Rockinghorse Winner
KI6AZS

The only thng that can alter the power output and freq. of the
insulated wire is; if water gets between the insulation and the wire.
As in rain water. Other wise "goforitQRP is great fun!!!
73 de Bob,WA2EAW...HW8 enthusiast with solar panals.

Ditto. No and no.


"Ed" wrote in message
. 93.175...
...a dipole antenna for 15 Meters from insulated 18 guage battery
wire ...
But, will I have to upgrade my wire when I go to 50/100 watts output?

NO

...is the insulation an impediment to the functioning

NO

Put it up. For a 40M dipole, I have insulated 20 guage (with the ends
threaded through the end insulators then doubled back and wrapped around the
antenns for about three feet, for easy length adjusting if needed).

73, & Enjoy Steve, K.9,D'C;I

"bob/wa2eaw" wrote in message
oups.com...

Rockinghorse Winner wrote:
...is the insulation an impediment to the functioning of the
antenna on HF? Thanks for being patient with a newbie.
Rockinghorse Winner KI6AZS

The only thng that can alter the power output and freq. of the
insulated wire is; if water gets between the insulation and the wire.
As in rain water. Other wise "goforitQRP is great fun!!!
73 de Bob,WA2EAW...HW8 enthusiast with solar panals.


Bob,
Hmmm. I don't think this is a worry either. I have had no protection (nor
perceive a need) for this where the insulation ends at the feed point nor at
the ends that are just cut (which wrap back on the antenna for about 3 feet
for adjusting length. It is stranded wire with lots of opportunity for
water egress. The insulation is very brittle after 6 years in the UV &
other outdoor environment. I don't see what the problem mechanism could
be; a bare wire gets really wet.
What are you thinking?

As a side note, and unrelated situation, aircraft wiring can burst into
flames with help from water (Believe it or not) and insulation cracks, but
in bundles of wire and where there is significant 400 cycle power
distribution energy _between_ wires in a tight cabling bundle, not a single
hanging wire.

73, Steve, K,9'D;C.I

On 16 Oct 2005 19:35:05 -0700, "Rockinghorse Winner"
wrote:


or 100 watts output? Also, I have a question about the insulated
wi is the insulation an impediment to the functioning of the
antenna on HF? Thanks for being patient with a newbie.

Don't overlook the fact that in most cases, insulation increases the
wind resistance and increases the mass (weight) of wire antennas, so
reducing the survival in strong winds, while not improving the
radiation performance.

Further, the insulation will degrade more quickly than bare copper in
all but the most corrosive environments.

Don't change your plans now... but something to keep in mind for the
future, especially for long spans.

You might ask, if insulated stranded annealed copper is a poor choice
compared to say single core hard draw copper or Copperweld, why do so
many people use insulated stranded annealed copper? I guess it comes
down to availability, and that amateurs seem to not design wire
antennas to survive high winds.

Owen
--

The 18 gauge shouldn't present a problem, for Power, nor Loss.
It , however may present a problem, in the winter, if you get
ice loading (can streatch, and also break, if has enough stress
(extra weight) applied to it) , but, as far as qrp, on the low
bands, you may ve amazed at the dx you can pull in , even with
power in the milliwatt range, and, with a couple of the older
(10 watt) rigs, like the ft301-s, or the ft-7 (and kenwood,
Icom, and Ten-tec made them, too!), can work reliably several
hundred miles on 75-40 meters, and THOUSANDS on 20-15, and 10!
Have fun-- Jim NN7K



Steve Nosko wrote:
Ditto. No and no.


"Ed" wrote in message
. 93.175...

...a dipole antenna for 15 Meters from insulated 18 guage battery
wire ...
But, will I have to upgrade my wire when I go to 50/100 watts output?


NO


...is the insulation an impediment to the functioning


NO

Put it up. For a 40M dipole, I have insulated 20 guage (with the ends
threaded through the end insulators then doubled back and wrapped around the
antenns for about three feet, for easy length adjusting if needed).

73, & Enjoy Steve, K.9,D'C;I