On Jan 4, 7:21*am, bpnjensen wrote:
On Jan 3, 3:27*pm, dave wrote:



On 01/03/2011 02:39 PM, RHF wrote:

On Jan 3, 7:31 am, *wrote:
Aiming to raise a new wire antenna here the next couple of weeks, and
I'd like to get some Flexweave for the run, probably 14 gauge will be
adequate for my purpose. *I'd like to get it coated with either PVC or
the shrinktube material.

Does anyone have any experience with either of these coverings? *Can
anyone say whether the material retains its flexibility, or if the
wire is stiffened by the covering? *I'd surely like the flexibility to
remain, if at all possible.

Thanks,
Bruce

IIRC the PAR EF-SWL Antenna uses Flexweave
as the Wire Antenna Element : Had one out for
many years (7~10) and it works well; the the
Flexweave wire has held-up a-ok.

-just-looked- Par Electronics EF-SWL Antenna
{End-Fed Short-Wave Listener Antenna}
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/2205.html
Uses 45 Feet of #14 Black Polyethylene Coated
Flex-Weave Wire made-up of 168 Strands of #36
AWG Woven Copper.
http://www.grove-ent.com/ANT8.html

First had it as a simple Inverted "L" Antenna with a 15-Foot
Up-Leg {Vertical} and a 30-Foot Out-Arm {Horizontal}.
Later changed it to a Off-Center-Fed* Dipole with a 17-Foot
Short-Arm and a 28-Foot Long-Arm.

* The PAR EF-SWL's Matching Transformer
http://www.parelectronics.com/pdf/EF-SWL.pdf
allows it to have the two Windings shorted together
with a Common Ground for an Inverted "L" Antenna
-or- Separate for a 'Floating' Two Terminal Antenna
Winding for a : Dipole; OCF-Dipole; Windom; Loop; etc.

- - - -imho- the 'flex-weave' is good stuff - iane ~ RHF
- - - http://www.davisrf.com/flexweave.php

- - If you want to get technical about it,
- - RF doesn't like braided round conductors
- - as much as it likes smooth conductors
- - with lots of surface.
- - I use #12 solid copper wire with green plastic
- - insulation for my verticals.

- Really?
- I had not heard that before, but rather the opposite.
- If that's the case, why does anybody use a braided wire?

Dave & BpnJ,

It has always been my humble understanding :
That a Multi-Stranded Copper Wire where each
of the Strands has a very thin clear coating where
each of the individual Wires is separated from the
others is better than a single (1) Wire of the same
relative Size {DC Current Rating}.

"The Trick" is to get all those separate and individual
Stranded Wires in the Bundle to be 'connected*'
"Together" at the Fed-Point of the Antenna. {Joints}

* Usually this is done by Soldering the Wires all
'together' as one; with the Flow of Solder forming
an Electrical Bond between the Wires.
Soldering remotes the very thin clear coating and
allows for an optimum joining of the Wires as one.

Note : Crimping the Wires and other mechanical means
of fastening the Wires will always be something less
than the Maximum 100% Standard that Soldering the
Wires can achieve. -if-all-are-done-right-

For the same relative Physical Size Wire with the
same DC Current Handling Capabilities a group of
Stranded Wires will have more 'collective' Surface
Area for RF {Surface} Current than a Single Wire.
-roughly-

* 1 Single Wire to 7 Multi-Stranded Wires ~ 2X :
The Same DC Rating -but- Twice the RF Rating
* * Six Wires around a Center Wire

* 1 Single Wire to 19 Multi-Stranded Wires ~ 4X :
The Same DC Rating -but- Four-Times the RF Rating
* * Twelve Wires around Six Wires around a Center Wire

IMHO - For most average 'typical' 30 Feet to 120 Feet
Shortwave Radio Listener [SWL] Antennas an Insulated
Multi-Stranded Cooper Wire makes for a Good Durable
Long Lasting Wire Antenna Element.
http://www.davisrf.com/antenna-wire/flexweave.php
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/cable/4608.html
http://www.smeter.net/daily-facts/5/fact24.php

-however- for Non-Typical SWL Antennas from 150 Feet
and up Copper-Clad-Steel (CCS) Wire may be the better
option for Extra Strength and Durability in a Long-Larger
SWL Antenna.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper-clad_steel
http://www.radioworks.com/cwire.html
http://www.radio-ware.com/products/antwire.htm
http://www.davisrf.com/antenna-wire/copperweld.php
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/cable/wire.html
* See #511
http://www.thewireman.com/antennap.html

-about- Shortwave Radio Listener [SWL] Antenna Wire
http://www.davisrf.com/antenna-wire/index.php

there you have it : 'my-opinion' - iane ~ RHF