TopBand: Sources of radial wire

[Earl W Cunningham]

N9DX wrote:

"The next best source I'm aware of is electric fence wire, available at
farm
suppliers such as Tractor Service Co or Quality Farm and Fleet.  It costs
about $25.00 for a half mile.  I've never used it. I think it's
galvanized, so should stand burial OK."
=================
It's probably the same stuff sold by Sears years ago in their farm
catalog.  It was galvanized steel wire, #17 gauge, and cost about $10 for
a 1/2-mile spool in 1976.

I used 10 spools (5 miles) of it to lay 192 quarter-wave radials under my
two towers in 1976.  It lasted for a number of years here in this desert
climate, but now, after 22 years, it's mostly gone (rust), so I'm
replacing it gradually with  copper in hopes to bring my antenna
efficiency back up to where it once was.

The galvanized steel electric fence wire is a cheap way out, but if you
plan to be at the same QTH more than a few years, I recommend something
longer-lasting, especially if you're not in the desert.

Incidentally, the galvanized steel wire works better than copper wire
(higher F/B ratio, therefore quieter) for a unidirectional Beverage
antenna in my experience.  I attribute this to the higher resistivity of
the electric fence wire.

73, de Earl, K6SE


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