Topband: Source for wire?

[Richard (Rick) Karlquist]

  > Rick Stealey wrote:
>>  Agway (farm supply store in NJ) this week had 1/2 mile of #17 
>> aluminum electric fence wire for $40, which is  about 1.5 cents/foot.  
>> With tax that comes out to $2.06 per quarter wave 160 meter radial.  
>> 21 radials per roll of wire.  Hey that's not too bad, $40 for a quite 
>> decent radial field.  $80 for a great one !!

>> Rick  K2XT

Fence wire like this is somewhat springy and brittle and kinks easily.
A little hard to work with.  It is available everywhere though.
Even some Home Depot stores have it.

A better aluminum wire (at even lower cost) is annealed pure aluminum
(1100 alloy) "tie wire" available from Alcotec Wire (alcotec.com).  It
is limp, not springy.  You have to buy 50 lbs.  It was ~$3 a pound in
2006.  I think I got #16 gauge.

As previously discussed, aluminum radial wire may or may not
corrode depending on your soil.  (Note that for STEEL fence wire,
all reports have been that it rusts away in a few years).  I have had no 
luck finding insulated aluminum wire.

Rick N6RK