Topband
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Topband: Radial Wire

To: Tom W8JI <w8ji@w8ji.com>, topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: Radial Wire
From: Gary K9GS <garyk9gs@wi.rr.com>
Reply-to: garyk9gs@wi.rr.com
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 22:25:52 -0500
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Thanks for all the great information.  I appreciate your experience.

My current installation is in the woods, not in a clear field. I, unfortunately, won't have the luxury of burying the wire. I'll have to lay it on the surface with staples holding it down.

Not much foot traffic to contend with but there are a lot of deer, squirrels and various wildlife to contend with.

This is to replace an existing radial field. The majority of the wire used was the old 5 or 8 conductor ribbon style rotor cable that was separated into individual strands. I've found many broken strands and the poor insulation hasn't weathered well. Of course I'll leave the old radial field in place and just lay the new ones on top.

As others have mentioned the 16 ga stranded dog fence stuff looks pretty rugged.



On 10/22/2014 9:35 PM, Tom W8JI wrote:
Thank you very much for this source.  I was just looking this week for
wire prices.  I want to buy quite a lot for next summer's antenna
project.

The nice thing is he's close enough I'll probably pick it up and save
shipping.

BTW...any thoughts on solid vs stranded?  I do like to use insulated
wire as I think it lasts longer.  I was thinking 16 or 18 ga.

When I did AM broadcast work, we would pull solid wire out of all sorts
of stations built in the 1920's and 30's in all types of soil. Unless it
was actually cut, it would be good.

In my own Ham stuff, I primarily use #16 bare copper bus (which is soft
drawn) wire. It lasts longer than I ever keep a house unless physically
cut. If I pull some up after several years in the ground, it just barely
shows light surface corrosion.

I install mine with a plow on a tractor. I can pull a six inch deep
radial, or any depth I want, at a few MPH. I have never broken a #16
wire pulling it into the ground. I have never seen one fail from lightning.

I personally would stay away from stranded copper, and would especially
stay away from aluminum, steel, or steel cored wire (watch what you
buy). Any solid copper #16 or larger, especially soft drawn, will last a
lot longer than most of use ever will. I would not be afraid of anything
solid copper and #16 or larger size.

If you never plan on long term direct soil exposure, never plan on
soldering it later for an alteration or repair without doing a lot of
cleaning work, and never plan on silver soldering, stranded copper is
also OK. I use stranded insulated #14 on my 40M 4 square stuff because
it is surface wire. The aluminum wire I installed several years ago on
that system is falling apart, but the insulated stranded copper is still
good.


--
73,

Gary K9GS

Greater Milwaukee DX Association: http://www.gmdxa.org
Society of Midwest Contesters: http://www.w9smc.com
CW Ops #1032   http://www.cwops.org

************************************************
_________________
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>