Topband: Wire Guage VS Resistance

Sat, 28 Jul 2001 12:15:31 -0400

Check out the numbers below. W8JI is correct,  solid wire of the same
diameter has lower resistance then stranded wire BUT it's very close to be
negligible to worry about on 160 meters! I have used #12 stranded UV
resistant double coated wire for years with good success.

construction: solid

conductor size      12 AWG
area             3.309 mm^2 (square-mm)
area              6530 CM (circular mil)
diameter          80.8 mil (1)
diameter         2.053 mm (1)

DC-resistance   0.00521 Ohm/m

tensile strength  99.26 kgf (2)
weight          29.415 kg/km (Cu)
weight           8.934 kg/km (Al)

Note:
1. diameter of stranded conductor is an approximation.
2. tensil strength of crimped terminal is about 60 % of conductor.

----------

construction: stranded

conductor size      12 AWG
area             3.309 mm^2 (square-mm)
area              6530 CM (circular mil)
diameter          93.3 mil (1)
diameter         2.371 mm (1)

DC-resistance   0.00532 Ohm/m

tensile strength  99.26 kgf (2)
weight          29.415 kg/km (Cu)
weight           8.934 kg/km (Al)

Note: lay factor of stranded conductor is assumed 2 %.

Note:
1. diameter of stranded conductor is an approximation.
2. tensil strength of crimped terminal is about 60 % of conductor.

73,
Thomas Giella, KN4LF

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