[TowerTalk] solid THHN vs jacketed copperweld

[Richard Smith]

 I should have given another detail about these antennas. The elements are supported in the center by a catenary, and the ends are pulled out as far as we can for the property that is available, ending up with included angles of about 90 degrees. 
It would be much different if the elements were instead supported at their ends. I believe there would be much more tension on the wire elements in that case.
73, Rich, N6KT
    On Monday, September 19, 2022 at 09:40:07 PM PDT, Richard Smith <n6kt1 at sbcglobal.net> wrote:  
 
  I chose #14 Hard Drawn bare copper wire for a couple of 80 Meter wire yagi antennas at the station PJ4K in Bonaire. It is too soon to know how well it will hold up, as we just installed them this year. I chose hard drawn to minimize stretch (which might cause detuning), and bare wire to reduce tuning time from the variation of velocity factor related to the insulation. I'm not sure if this was the best choice, but it seemed to make sense.
73, Rich, N6KT
    On Monday, September 19, 2022 at 08:30:03 PM PDT, john at kk9a.com <john at kk9a.com> wrote:  
 
 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

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