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Author Topic: Antenna wire, get your cheap antenna wire  (Read 1641 times)

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Antenna wire, get your cheap antenna wire
« on: July 10, 2020, 1913 UTC »
Just picked up three 500 ft spools of #14 insulated hookup wire, about a decade ago I switched to this from official "antenna wire" which is more expensive and more of a PITA to work with, as it likes to kink up:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/500-FT-THHN-THWN-WIRE-14-AWG-STRANDED-600-VOLT-MADE-IN-USA-RED-GRN-BLK-BLUE/254585103312

It arrived today, and looks good, brand new spools and everything.

He also has #16 for a little less per roll:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/500-FT-TFFN-TEWN-WIRE-16-AWG-STRANDED-600-VOLT-MADE-IN-USA-RD-GRN-STRIPED/254645997473?hash=item3b4a158fa1:g:3nQAAOSw4TVdqIxl:sc:UPSGround!21158!US!-1&autorefresh=true

Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Offline ThaDood

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Re: Antenna wire, get your cheap antenna wire
« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2020, 1817 UTC »
Back in 1992 I bought from an INDY electrical store a 500ft spool of solid copper #10 AWG insulated wire that lasted me for +20-some years. Made all sorts of antennas with that, and not just for me, but others as well. Heck... It's what my Windom consist of. I see wider bandwidths with it too. Today, when I see contractors rip that out of buildings and houses, I help myself to it, before they do it 1st.
I was asked, yet another weird question, of how I would like to be buried, when I finally bite the big one. The answer was actually pretty easy. Face-down, like a certain historical figure in the late 1980's, (I will not mention who, but some of you will get it, and that's enough.) Why??? It would be a burial that will satisfy everyone: (1) My enemies will say that it will show me where to go. (2) On the same point, I can have my enemies kiss my butt. (3) It will temporarily give someone a place to park a bicycle. See??? A WIN / WIN for everyone.

Offline pinto vortando

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Re: Antenna wire, get your cheap antenna wire
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2020, 2203 UTC »
Have used THHN building wire for antennas for years (mostly because of its availability)
in spite of speculation that the annealed copper will stretch and possibly fail.
Have never had that problem... the antennas survived years of ice and wind storms.   
If you use insulated stranded THHN wire outdoors, be sure to seal the exposed ends from water.
You would be amazed at how well water will wick the length of an antenna and corrode it from within
so for that reason, solid THHN is the better way to go.
Be aware that the NEC requires hard drawn copper or copper clad steel for antenna wires.
In any case, NEVER run a wire antenna over or under a power line. 
Das Radiobunker somewhere in Michigan

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Re: Antenna wire, get your cheap antenna wire
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2020, 0636 UTC »
I got a spool of this. Very quick response, and he even emailed me beforehand to find out what color I wanted, which is very important to those of us who are fashion conscious.

Reminds me of the old joke, which I know I've repeated here before, but please indulge me:

Wife, when electrician staggers home very late: "Wire you insulate???"
Electrician:                                                           "Watts it to you, I'm Ohm ain't I?"

Offline John Poet

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Re: Antenna wire, get your cheap antenna wire
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2020, 2330 UTC »
I picked up some of this too, the #16.  It was here the 2nd day after I ordered it.  amazing speed.


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Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: Antenna wire, get your cheap antenna wire
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2020, 1151 UTC »
One of my spools has already been put to good use, I built a 250 ft V Beam antenna aimed to Europe. More details to follow when I get the chance to type up a post.
Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Offline RobRich

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Re: Antenna wire, get your cheap antenna wire
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2020, 1323 UTC »
I have been using copper-clad aluminum speaker wire for several years now. Mostly for ground radials and some temporary receiving antennas. I am not sure how it would fair for a more permanent install in the air, though. Anyone else using CCA wire for antenna projects?
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Offline Charlie_Dont_Surf

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Re: Antenna wire, get your cheap antenna wire
« Reply #7 on: September 26, 2020, 1924 UTC »
"This listing was ended by the seller because there was an error in the listing."

Here's his virtual store so look around for what you want: https://www.ebay.com/sch/iwc2carl/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

I bought a 50-foot roll of 2-conductor, 14-AWG, stranded wire at (insert name of US big box DIY hardware chain whose name begins with "L") and I have come to like this stuff for ground radials because it's heavy, lays flat for the most part, and doesn't get tangled up like smaller-diameter, solid conductor wire does. It was very easy to split apart so a roll of 50-foot, 2-conductor because becomes a roll of 100-foot, 1-conductor in a matter of minutes.

« Last Edit: September 27, 2020, 1837 UTC by Charlie_Dont_Surf »
I don't STRETCH the truth.

"Every minute I spend in this room, my signal gets weaker.
Every minute Charlie squats in the bush, his signal gets stronger."