Topband: What wire to use for 'wire' TX antenna

[Dave Haupt]

Hey guys,

I was playing around the other night on 80 meters.  My
TX vertical is out of commission for a bit, due to
major house remodeling, so I'm 'making do' with my
near-horizontal wire.  About 95 feet long, fed
off-center with a choke balun, and a homebrew tuner at
the bottom, chosen for whatever band I'm working.

I was working a sked with a buddy when things went
'dead'.  What..???  Too dark to figure it out; I
called Bob and apologized.  Next day I took a look
outside.  The antenna wire had melted.  I was using
the garden-grade stranded stuff sold by the local Radio
Shack.  So - time for me to get a bit more serious
about a wire to hold off the amp power (this incident
occurred at 800W)!  With the various online antenna
wire & cable companies advertising "flex-weave" and
other elaborate wires for 'wire' antennas, what seems
to work well?  Seems like "freedom from kinks" and
"rugged" might not go together.  I suppose I need
better than 14 gauge; that's what melted!  I still
can't believe I had a current node that high - on a
physically short antenna?

Anyway, all comments will be appreciated.

Dave W8NF



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