[TowerTalk] solid THHN vs jacketed copperweld

[john at kk9a.com]

I do not like Copperweld, perhaps because it had such a short life at my
station in Aruba.  I like K9YC's prestretched 8AWG suggestion, I believe
copper work hardens fairly easily.  Hard drawn bare copper wire is also
available, has anyone tried this? 

73,
John KK9A


Jim K9YC wrote:

Hi Steve,

Many years ago, our mutual friend David Josephson, WA6NMF, taught me to 
buy bare #8 solid copper at the big box store and stretch it to 
approximate #9 hard drawn copper. Over the years, W6GHJB and I have done 
that 3-4 times. We use it for all of our wires under tension. In 
addition to pretty good strength much nicer handling than copperweld, I 
don't have to lower the dipoles and circumcise them every few years, as 
I did with one that was built with THHN.

We use copper split-bolts for connections.

73, Jim K9YC