[TowerTalk] what size wire for kilowatt TX ??

[Steve Hunt]

Nope - the current will be much higher in an electrically short antenna. 
What matters is not its high reactance - that will get tuned out by the 
matching circuitry - but the low radiation resistance where the power is 
being dissipated. If you don't believe it, just picture how much current 
is flowing in a small magnetic loop antenna or a mobile whip.

73,
Steve G3TXQ

Martin Ewing wrote:
> This all assumes you're talking about a full size dipole.  If your antenna
> is more like a short whip, the current in the wire is much less, since it is
> a high impedance antenna.  Then, your problem is in the antenna
> tuner/coupler and ground system, where there could be high losses.
>