Al,
The CAT5 cable sounds good, thanks for the info.
Yes many of us hams are characterized as being cheap. I agree with the QST
columnist that chastized QST readership providing the cheap
ham stereotype. In my opinion they are basing their opinion on a superficial
understanding
of a typical hams spending for equipment and materials. They need to drill
down a few layers and see the overall spending profile. Take a look at a
typical hams station. He or she typically has a substantial investment in the
radio gear itself, not inexpensive stuff, hihi. Then we look for the
bargains for the peripheral equipment like coax/fittings/wire/wire, etc. I am
guilty of hauling home used coax, etc from almost every ham radio flea market I
attend. I can't resist. :-)
Sourcing materials for a radial system is a good example of when to put on your
"cheap" (or I like your term frugal) hat. Anything that is going in or on the
ground will have a limited life span and it makes sense to minimize your
investment knowing it will need to be replaced more frequently than other
antenna
wiring. There is a swap meet coming up in a couple of weeks, I need to have my
truck ready. :-)
73,
Bob
K6UJ
On Sep 30, 2011, at 5:41 PM, Al Kozakiewicz wrote:
> Electric fence wire is usually aluminum or galvanized steel.
>
> If you just want something to experiment with under the expectation that it
> need last only a few years, by all means use aluminum or galvanized or
> welding wire.
>
> On the other hand, if it's a permanent installation, bite the bullet and get
> copper. Even if you're running QRO, you don't need anything heavy gauge as
> long as you lay down enough radials. The current will be divided among them.
> Even #22 or #24 magnet wire will work if you take enough care to protect it
> from mechanical damage until it gets absorbed into the thatch.
>
> One of the regular columnists in QST recently chastized the readership for
> stereotyping hams as cheap. OK, except that there are a lot of cheap hams!
> If you want to be "frugal", then you have to be resourceful. Look around and
> you can probably find lots of CAT5 or J-K that's been ripped out of an office
> being remodeled. That cable contains a useful amount of #24 copper wire that
> could be repurposed, although at the cost of your time.
>
> Or go buy a 1000' box of CAT5 cable at Lowe's for about $100. That will
> yield 8000 feet of #24 copper wire.
>
> Al
> AB2ZY
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
> [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of ROBERT HARMON
> Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 8:20 PM
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] low band antenna without good ground
>
> Sounds like the .03 dia aluminum wire probably wouldn't last very long. I
> have a bunch of rolls of copper coated mig wire for steel welding that is
> also .03 inches dia. Others that have tried this stuff found that it rusts
> very quickly, what a shame you can get 1000 foot rolls of this stuff
> pretty cheaply, sigh................. I read from other posts is that
> electric fence wire works pretty well and is not that expensive either.
>
> Bob
> K6UJ
>
>
> On Sep 29, 2011, at 5:21 PM, Al Kozakiewicz wrote:
>
>> Radiation resistance will not drop, nor would you want it to! Ground losses
>> will drop and so should the feedpoint impedance.
>>
>> The lifetime of buried aluminum depends on the pH of the soil. Usually, it
>> isn't long.
>>
>> Al
>> AB2ZY
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
>> [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Alex K2BB
>> Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2011 8:15 PM
>> To: Gene Smar
>> Cc: ROBERT HARMON; <towertalk@contesting.com>
>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] low band antenna without good ground
>>
>> I got a roll of aluminum welding wire, the one which is 0.03"...
>> The plan is to lay down 30 radials 30-35 feet long to test how much
>> radiation resistance drops.
>> I am just wondering- how long that wire will last if I bury it? What about
>> thicker wire used for electric fences?
>>
>> AM
>>
>> On Sep 29, 2011, at 19:39, "Gene Smar" <ersmar@verizon.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Bob:
>>>
>>> Instead of a copper ground clamp (likely to cause corrosion at the
>>> connection point due to dissimilar metals in contact in water), I'd
>>> suggest using stainless steel bolts, lockwashers and nuts plus a pair
>>> of fender washers (above and below the screen) wherever you wish to make a
>>> connection.
>>> Fender washers are exceptionally large in diameter as compared to
>>> normal washer sizes for the particular diameter of bolt. They gather
>>> a lot of metal in the connection area when applied.
>>>
>>>
>>> 73 de
>>> Gene Smar AD3F
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "ROBERT HARMON" <k6uj@pacbell.net>
>>> To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
>>> Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2011 6:36 PM
>>> Subject: [TowerTalk] low band antenna without good ground
>>>
>>>
>>>> I have been gathering up materials for rolling out galvanized
>>>> chicken wire for a ground screen from my vertical as discussed here
>>>> recently. I'm trying to figure out how to make the electrical
>>>> connection at the base of the vertical. Is there a nifty way to do it ?
>>>> My first thought was to take the
>>>> very end of each roll and squeeze it together into a bunch and
>>>> attach a cooper clamp used for ground rods.
>>>> How do you make your connection ?
>>>>
>>>> Bob
>>>> K6UJ
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>>
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