Wire size for antennas

Equipment
21

Mark,

When I first started out in amateur radio after having passed my Foundation exam in July 2020, I attempted to set up a base station during lockdown and on the lowest budget possible. I made a dipole for 20m from bits of scrap and left over satellite cable I had found in the loft. Needless to say, I surprised myself when I started to work the world with it and it hadn’t cost me a penny !!

Homebrew First 20m dipole
Homebrew First 20m dipole1199×884 46.1 KB

As with all things radio, I’m sure I’m not alone in continually trying to improve the set up little by little. So, the solid copper wire from the satellite cable was swapped out for 100m of 13/0.2 twin speaker wire bought from a local DIY store (other brands are available).

13 x 0.2mm2 speaker wire
13 x 0.2mm2 speaker wire1920×1938 390 KB

I have also made other dipoles and EFHWs but seeing as I’ve still got so much of it left, I haven’t bothered looking into upgrading it again (… assuming that it was an upgrade in the first place !).

73, Lea M0XPO

1 Like
22

I’ll take anything in hot pink**. Getting it in my size is always the problem. I have very slender ankles.

I use 24AWG stranded UTP network wire - easy and cheap to get off the big roll, multiple colours, and the hard polyethylene insulation is more durable than light pvc hookup wire. (there is a trick to untwisting it though)

** or Dora the Explorer.

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23

People born under the star sign “brimstone or grass yellow butterfly” can also use yellow cables…

IMG_2382

73 Armin

3 Likes