Hi Fritz
I've used the 17 AWG fence wire for Beverages with good results. It does
stretch a bit (so does soft copper), but I support it often. The type of
wire is
pretty much unimportant, electrically. Make your choice based on mechanical
and weather considerations. Its resistance becomes part of the terminating
resistor as long as it's not a really high resistance.
The Beverage wire only needs to avoid touching the rebar supports,
proximity doesn't matter. One way to assure separation is to put a short
piece of PVC pipe on top of the rebar, making a small extension and
providing insulation. At a couple bucks for 10 feet, it's pretty cheap, too.
The plastic fence post insulators work fine, too, as long as the rebar
doesn't twist as you noted. I don't think it will move much.
I never had the luxury of space to use the 1/4-wave extension as the
termination -- just remember that electrical 1/4-wave length depends
on height and ground characteristics. Also remember that this type
termination is single-band, if you also want to use the Beverage on 80,
40 or for broadcast listening, a ground rod is a better choice.
Have fun...I'm working on my lowband stuff this weekend, too.
73, Gary
K9AY
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