[Antennas] zip line

[fkamp@attbi.com]

Joe,

Zip cord works fine like that but I have only used it that
way with less than 100 watts of power and with a balanced
antenna tuner (no balun).  The tuner I used was a homebrew
Z-Match.  In my case it was a portable and temporary
antenna.  Each leg was about 50 feet long.  No attempt was
made to match to 50 ohms using the zip cord alone.  I
suppose that could be done.  Use a balun at the end that
connects to the unbalanced output of the radio.

It worked fine as an 'all-band' antenna covering
80,40,30,20,15,and 10.

I would not recommend such a setup as a permanent
installation.  Zip cord insulation does not weather well.

Regards,
Frank Kamp


Joe Falcone wrote:
> 
> I believe that the slang name of regular 117 volt lamp cord is called "zip cord." The kind where you have two parallel wires carrying the power.  I once read that it can be used as balanced line and is about 50 ohms.  I believe that in Joe Carr's antenna book he said you could use zip cord out to where you wanted your dipole and then just rip it down the middle and create a dipole.
> 
> Anyone have experience with the lamp cord antenna line?
> 
> Joe. N8TI.
> 
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