[CQ-Contest] 1/4 inch tubing

[K9MA]

Shim stock is cheap!

73,

Scott K9MA

On 1/5/2026 1:22 PM, Richard F DiDonna NN3W wrote:
> Not too terribly difficult to acquire but not cheap.  Extruders hate small
> diameter product and especially hate closed hollow products because of the
> die setups.  You're going to pay for that with a price premium for sure!
>
> 73 RIch NN3W
>
> On Mon, Jan 5, 2026 at 2:16 PM<john at kk9a.com> wrote:
>
>> Ø1/4" 6061-T6 with a 17ga (.058) wall is listed in my old Central Steel &
>> Wire catalog but only .035 and .049 walls are shown in my newer Ryerson
>> catalog.   The latter two are pretty easy to purchase at many metal
>> suppliers and they should provide adequate strength for that small of
>> aluminum tubing. That said, it is probably less expensive and better to
>> just
>> go with the next size larger tubing and use DXE's standard stock. I have
>> never even imagined using Ø1/4 aluminum tubing on HF.  My homebrew Yagis
>> use
>> Ø1/2" tips per the ARRL Antenna book's 100++MPH element taper schedule and
>> I
>> never had an issue with them breaking or vibrating.
>>
>> John KK9A
>>
>>
>>
>> Stan Stockton K5GO wrote
>> <snip>
>>
>> Neither DXE, Texas Towers or any other primary supplier of aluminum tubing
>> for hams has ever offered 1/4” x .058” wall tubing to the best of my
>> knowledge.  There is certainly no problem in making a 40m vertical that
>> will
>> survive 100 MPH or more without using materials that are not readily
>> available and without using anything smaller than 3/8” which is readily
>> available.
>>
>> If someone wanted to make a dipole using #15 wire my reaction would be the
>> same.  Why make it using a size that’s not readily available when a more
>> standard size is easier and less expensive to purchase.
>>
>> Stan
>>
>>
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-- 
Scott  K9MA

k9ma at sdellington.us