According to my cheap wattmeter (that I know reads low) I'm putting about 120 watts into a 135' wire (and 9:1 balun) at 15'. That same electric fence wire I mentioned. Yes, 15 feet above ground - I recently measured it for those wondering about my previous comments on it. With a cheap MFJ tuner I've worked 160 and 75 regularly. Without a tuner used it on 40 with my B40 and worked a bunch of digital and I have a flat SWR on all of 20 meters.
Currently I'm using a cobra antenna (not the CB radio cobra, it's named after it's style, google it, easy to make) at 40' sloping down to about 10-15'. With a tuner I get a near flat SWR on all bands 160-10.
Vince.
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On 02/25/2018 06:59 PM, Mark via Groups.Io wrote:
Hi Vince,
For QRP I'd only need #17?
There's a write-up on this type of wire purchased from tractor supply
stores, entitled, Does wire gauge (size) make any difference for
vertical antenna radials?, at eHam.net.
They say that some antenna manufactures suggest 14. I guess that is
possibly because it is used for base stations with 100 or more watts.
However, for my specific QRP & mobile situation, maybe 17 would be fine.
It would also be a bit lighter.
Would reception improve if it were copper? Or, maybe for something like
this it wouldn't really matter.
Thanks,
Mark
--
Michigan VHF Corp.
