[TowerTalk] Electric Fence Wire For Radials !!

[n4kg@juno.com]

Aluminum Electric Fence wire can be found at County Co-ops
as well as the typical home improvement centers.

I used aluminum welding wire radials for 4 years at a previous 
location with good results.  I simply shoved the ends on the wires 
into a 'ground block' along with a short piece of tinned braid to the
coax.  A tinned copper wire and plently of Penetrox or AL-NO-OX
is another (better) solution.

I expect that aluminum electric fence wire is less brittle than
the welding wire I used and is therefore a better choice.

Tom  N4KG 

On Mon, 12 Nov 2001 ValErwin@aol.com writes:
> 
> Tower Dudes:
> 
> I found the cheapest source of radial wire to be uninsulated, 
> Aluminum  electric fence wire. It is sold by Home Depot and 
> is found in the  fencing  section NOT the electrical section of the
store --
> 
> The wire, 17 ga., is sold in 400 meter rolls and is superior to Cu 
> wire in  that it is more resistant to soil corrosion when buried than 
> Cu wire  here in  the Dallas, TX area --- other soil conditions may
tell 
> a different  story. My  radial field under my HyTower has been in the 
> ground now for 3 years  and only  shows a slight greying-type corrosion

> on the wire surface.  
> 
> The only disadvantage I have found is that a "special" solder 
> (available at  Ace Hdw.) must be used if  you cannot find a 
> workaround  like I did.  --- I  attached the ends of all radials 
> to an aluminum plate via Al  nuts/bolts at  the antenna base.
> 
> GL
> 
> Val
> W5PUT 

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