Topband: Beverage wire question

[Grant Saviers]

Is there any advantage to open wire line construction vs the 
bidirectional coax Beverage that ON4UN describes?  RG6 is cheap and 
strong with a copperweld core or use any other coax from CATV surplus to 
RG58/59.  Some are UV resistant, flooded, etc. The only downside I see 
is two transformers and two feedlines are required and perhaps a db or 
two loss for the reverse direction, which really doesn't matter.  A plus 
is no relays.  A coax version sure is simpler to build and maintain.  Of 
course coax doesn't have the classic Beverage look ;-)

Grant KZ1W

see also http://w4hod.org/K4IQJ%20Beverage%20Talk.pdf  for other 
alternative designs.


On 5/1/2014 8:12 AM, Hardy Landskov wrote:
> I've used window line for many years and it is a maintenance hassle. 
> The heat and UV here in AZ just eats the stuff up where it has to be 
> replaced every 5 years or so, and I do twist the line. The last wind 
> storm we had ripped the line right out of the DXE black plastic 
> insulators which are not all that good either.
> So I am looking with keen interest at all these homebrew 
> open-wire-line construction techniques.
> YMMV.
> 73 Hardy N7RT
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Waters" <mikewate at gmail.com>
> To: "Jim Garland" <4cx250b at miamioh.edu>
> Cc: "topband" <Topband at contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2014 7:39 PM
> Subject: Re: Topband: Beverage wire question
>
>
>> Jim,
>>
>> On Wed, Apr 30, 2014 at 10:41 AM, Jim Garland <4cx250b at miamioh.edu> 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I've been using 450 ohm ladder line ... and the ladder line requires
>>> constant maintenance.
>>
>>
>> I've heard that twisting that line solves the breakage issues. You need
>> many twists in the entire length of the line.
>>
>>
>>
>>> I want to replace it with parallel wires, which run through ceramic
>>> feedthrough insulators
>>
>>
>> And, I've heard that running wire through ceramic insulators like 
>> that will
>> eventually abrade the wire. Holes in ceramic insulators are usually 
>> quite
>> rough.
>>
>>
>> I have no experience with either of the above. Here, we use plastic
>> electric fence and homebrew plastic insulators; and the wire drops 
>> into a
>> slot instead of having to string it through a hole. Works for me.
>>
>> I think there's some photos at 
>> http://www.w0btu.com/Beverage_antennas.html .
>>
>> 73, Mike
>> www.w0btu.com
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>
>
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