What are pros and cons of using insulated twisted pair wire for wire
antenna projects? (its what I have handy) Comments invited.

Rich,
The best 'pro' is that you already have it! The first 'con'
that comes to mind is, is it large enough to hold up it's own
weight and not stretch to the next lower band?
Within reason, the 'type' of wire/conductor you use to make
an antenna just doesn't matter a lot. It has to be a conductor,
after that, it has to be available. The rest is up to you.
'Doc

What are pros and cons of using insulated twisted pair wire for wire
antenna projects? (its what I have handy) Comments invited.



Depending on the type of plastic, physical length of insulated wire will be
shorter by about 5% for the same resonant frequency vs. bare wire.
Otherwise it will work.

Yuri

Depending on the type of plastic, physical length of insulated wire will
be
shorter by about 5% for the same resonant frequency vs. bare wire.
Otherwise it will work.

Isn't that true just for VHF and higher frequencies due to the velocity
factor??? I'm fairly certain that doesn't apply for HF.

Jerry
--
Jerry Bransford
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"Yuri Blanarovich" wrote in message
...

Jerry,
It applies to any frequency. I don't know if I would
agree with the 5%, but there is a 'shortening' affect if
the conductor is insulated. Is it going to make any real
difference on HF? Nope...
'Doc

"'Doc" wrote in message
it going to make any real
difference on HF? Nope...

Exactly.

Jerry
--
Jerry Bransford
To email, remove 'me' from my email address
KC6TAY, PP-ASEL
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.Is
it going to make any real
difference on HF? Nope...

Exactly.

Jerry


YES, it makes real difference in calculating the proper length. If you are
making, let's say quad for 10m and used EZNEC to calculate the dimensions using
bare wire and then used insulated, you would end up exactly in the middle of CB
band. Nope? Exactly! What?

Is that "any real difference on HF"? Yep, to me is. Using #12 insulated house
copper wire makes exactly 5% difference.

If you do not care where the antenna resonates, than NOPE.
If you care to maintaing performance, pattern, impedance, SWR, than YEP!

If you are making long wire antenna or Beverage, than length and shortening
factor does not matter. But if antenna dimensions are critical then it DOES
matter. As far as performance of insulated wire as a radiator of RF, the effect
is negligible.

Yuri, K3BU