I want to build a 134 ft multi-frequency dipole. The neatest stuff I have ever seen is the 2 inch electric fence tape that my brothernlaw uses on his horse farm. The tape has 12 strandsof stainless steel wire going through it. I figure I can pull the wire out of it and trim each of the 12 to tune them to the bands I want. Then the tape will keep the antenna from breaking. Does that sound possible. Is stainless steel wire a good choice for a 100 watt antenna?
"Love Trumps Hate."
"You Facist, Sexual Predator!"
" I thought a lot about blowing up the White House"
Uh Huh, What Love?
I made several OCF antenna's from it for other ham's never got complaints.
It won't rust ;)
The resistance might be a bit higher, but the loss of 1 or 2 watts is negligable on 100 watts.
Some tried side by side tests, nobody could hear a fraction of a difference.
The stainless steel wire i used was one strand of 316 type welding wire, 1/20 th of an inch and a full size OCF for 80 -10
"If the Republicans will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop
telling the truth about them." - Adlai Stevenson (1900-1965)
“I’m not liberal/conservative, I’m anti-idiotarian.”
At some point in the last 20 years, the left moved to the center, and the right moved into a mental institution
Thank you PA5COR, that's kinda what I heard. I was worried the stainless steel wire would be too small in diameter. The tape kinda reminds me of white webbing in a lawn chair. Its got to be pretty strong because it is supposed to dissuade a 400 kg horse. :) I was going to reinforce the ends then put grommets in it to string it up.Originally Posted by PA5COR
"Love Trumps Hate."
"You Facist, Sexual Predator!"
" I thought a lot about blowing up the White House"
Uh Huh, What Love?
The only reason it disuades the horse is cuz it's hooked to a 2kv or higher electric fence charger. Without that being attached, they'll walk right through. Plenty tough enough for an antenna though...just don't pull it too tight, or you'll break the wires without breaking the poly. The only place you might have trouble with is at the ends. Go to the same Tractor Supply and get some of the "hooks" that are used to attach the tape to a "T" post. They're triangular, so you can tie them off with a piece of rope, and they'll keep the tape from bunching up at the end.
Last edited by W5GA; 08-07-2011 at 09:32 PM.
When the government's boot is on your throat, whether it is a left boot or a right boot is of no consequence. — GARY LLOYD
The nation we live in is the nation we have built by design, each successive generation raising the wall of tyranny a little higher. - Chris Griffin
Some folks will get all excited about it being stainless steel and not some super pure form of copper. Don't pay too much attention to them and let them get back to their gold plated RCA connectors on their stereo setup.
I have been using 316 stainless for antenna wire for many years now. Compared to the other losses you may see in an antenna/ feedline system the use of stainless is negligible.
That tape looks like a real interesting product. I may give some of that a try on some of the Beverage antennas I have out there (now THAT is such an efficient antenna! <j/k>).
But...but...your ESSB signals will achieve a fullness and clarity with an oxygen-free copper antenna that is far superior to any other aerial! I read it on the audio forum!
"Everyone wants to be an AM Gangsta until it's time to start doing AM Gangsta shit."
Don't forget to have those connectors sent to Nunavut to be gummed by toothless Inuit women first. It improves the fidelity.
All the world’s a stage, but obviously the play is unrehearsed and everybody is ad-libbing his lines. Maybe that’s why it’s hard to tell if we’re living in a tragedy or a farce.
Awww, 'cmon. Signal to Noise doesn't matter. Keep the preamp on, and NEVER use the attenuator.
"Where would we be without the agitators of the world to attach the electrodes
of knowledge to the nipples of ignorance?" ~ Professor "Dick" Soloman
I'm not familiar with that stuff. What's the tape itself made of?
All the world’s a stage, but obviously the play is unrehearsed and everybody is ad-libbing his lines. Maybe that’s why it’s hard to tell if we’re living in a tragedy or a farce.
It's UV stabilized poly.
When the government's boot is on your throat, whether it is a left boot or a right boot is of no consequence. — GARY LLOYD
The nation we live in is the nation we have built by design, each successive generation raising the wall of tyranny a little higher. - Chris Griffin
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