Topband: Wire size at base of 160M inverted L

[donroden at hiwaay.net]

Biggest size that easily fits.

W4DNR



Quoting N4ZR <n4zr at comcast.net>:

> I'm wiring up a relay to be used to open the feedpoint of my 160M  
> inverted L. My intention is to have it connect the feedpoint to the  
> transmitter when the relay is activated by PTT and open the circuit  
> on receive.  I will be running 1500 watts.
>
> My question is this how heavy does the wire need to be between the  
> antenna side of my common mode choke and the relay, or between the  
> relay and the feedpoint? The relay is rated at 16 amperes  
> continuous, 30 amps switching.  I've been told that current rather  
> than voltage is the issue at the base of a quarter-wave.  My normal  
> instinct would be to use something like No.12 or 14 wire, but the  
> terminals on the relay are roughly the diameter of #18 wire, and the  
> center conductor of the common mode choke (wound with RG-400) is  
> similarly small, so would the heavy wire be overkill?
>
>
> -- 
>
> 73, Pete N4ZR
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