[TowerTalk] Choice of Antenna Wire for Multi-Element 80 Meter Yagi on a Catenary

[John Simmons]

You might want to model this before building it, if you haven't already 
done so. The inverted vee configuration isn't very good for low angle 
radiation. I built a 7 element for 40 but haven't completed the final 
tuning.


-- 
73,
-John NI0K
john at kk9a.com wrote on 6/28/2020 9:51 PM:
> I have always wanted to try hard drawn copper wire, I personally wound not
> go smaller than 14 AWG.  I have had good luck with inexpensive 14 awg THHN
> in Aruba, copperweld did not do well in the corrosive environment and it
> also did not like being adjusted from CW to SSB on 80m.
>
> John KK9A
>
>
> Richard Smith N6KT
>
> Hello TowerTalkers,
> The team at PJ4K is planning to put up a 4-element wire yagi on 80 Meters
> with Inverted-Vee type elements. It will be supported by a rope catenary
> between two towers, at about 100' off the ground. In choosing the wire for
> the elements, there is a trade-off between strength and weight of the wire.
> Currently, I'm looking at Hard-Drawn copper wire as the wire choice, but I
> don't have experience with it. Are there any concerns about the use of HD
> copper wire, such as tendency for kinks, or other mechanical concerns?
>
> I'm considering #14, #16, and #18 HD copper wire for the elements. I figured
> out the approximate weights of wire for a 4 element 80 meter yagi:
>
> 4 elements of  #14   copper wire weighs  about  6.2 lbs   Breaking strength
> is 213 lbs
>
> 4 elements of  #16  copper wire weighs  about  3.9 lbs   Breaking strength
> is 135 lbs
>
> 4 elements of  #18   copper wire weighs  about  2.5 lbs   Breaking strength
> is 85 lbs
>
> I'm thinking that it's not just the dead weight of the wire to consider, but
> also the fact that lighter wire will require less tension to pull out the
> ends of the elements, to achieve about a 120 degree angle for the
> Inverted-Vee elements.
> I'm interested in suggestions, especially from those who have tried similar
> antennas.
> TNX and 73, Rich, N6KT
>
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