I can still get bare wire from my local telecom wire supply house. I've
been using 18awg bare copper for radials for several years as it's cheap
and seems to hold up OK over time. The only downside is the supplier I
use has a new 5,000 foot minimum order up from the old 1,000 foot
minimum. They have to order it in but they always get it in within a few
days so it's not a "hard to get" item for them. Price has been around
$60 per thousand feet lately.
Davis RF still lists 16 gauge bare copper wire under the "Amateur
Products / Grounding Wire" section on their website. They show $68 per
thousand feet, which I think is up a little (I seem to recall it was
$50(ish) not that long ago). I haven't ordered this from them before,
but it might be an option for you.
You should be able to find 14 or 12 awg bare copper wire at commercial
electrical supply houses in your area, but they'll probably only sell
standard length "put ups" (i.e. they won't cut to length). Usually for
insulated wire you can get 500 foot and 2,500 foot reels, for bare
copper I think it would be 1,000 and 2,500 foot reels. Even if you can't
find 14 or 12 gauge I'd be really surprised if 10 awg was hard to find
although that is starting to get pretty heavy and expensive for use as
radial wire.
Another option might be the surplus wire from Fair Radio Sales. You
don't have a color choice, but it's cheap. The only downside there is I
don't think they have much of the cheap stuff left in gauges heavier
than 26 awg, and that probably won't hold up well with larger critters
stepping on it. I'd especially be concerned about deer hoofs breaking
the smaller wire.
There is no need to use insulated wire. The only reason I can see to use
insulated wire would be based on cost or availability as it can
sometimes be easier -- and even cheaper -- to use insulated wire if it's
more readily available. If you buy reels commercially you can just get
the black wire which would probably be the hardest color to see on the
ground. Other standard colors are brown (a standard phase color for 480V
commercial systems), or maybe even green although the greens tend to be
pretty bright.
-Bill
> Installing 80 and 160 verticals and was going to use 14 gauge
uninsulated
> solid copper wire for radials. Little dirt here, mostly limestone and
> caliche. Is there any reason to use insulated wire? No one seems to
sell
> bare wire anymore (Lowes, Home Depot), but it would hide better than
> colored insulated wire. I have lots of deer, squirrels, porcupines,
> possums, skunks, but no hogs. Half the radials will cross the caliche
> driveway. We have only had 3" of rain all year, so the ground is
> essentially cement. Radials will just be laying on top held in by
steel
> staples. Grass may cover in years to come! Was going to start with 16
1/4
> wave 160 meter radials.
>
> Any ideas, suggestions on where to buy radial wire or how to install
> greatly appreciated off reflector.
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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