[TowerTalk] guy wires

[Ian White GM3SEK]

John Kuklewicz N7ZN wrote:
>
>With a reasonably large number of radials the current in each radial is 
>relatively low, so the smaller gauge and added resistance of steel does 
>not seem to make a big difference.
>
To clarify what I said earlier, the skin effect means that the RF 
current flows initially in the zinc plating, which is quite a good RF 
conductor. The steel core is not involved unless (or until) the zinc 
dissolves away - and then, the RF resistance will increase markedly 
because of the magnetic properties of steel.

You can always afford to lose a few individual radials if you have large 
numbers of them, but chemical corrosion would be liable to affect them 
all together.

As I said: if your soil chemistry allows it, then galvanized wire will 
be fine. It also depends how long you intend to stick around at that 
QTH.


-- 
73 from Ian GM3SEK