[Antennas] Wire to use for quad

[Charles Greene]

At 06:11 AM 3/21/2002 -0500, Joseph Falcone wrote:
>Hello everyone:  I have a  Lightening Bolt quad that came with stainless 
>steel wire.  It was up for about 5 or 6 years
>without a problem.  But, when I took it down, folded up the supports with 
>the wires still attached, moved it, and then
>reassembled it, the wire started to break.  The wire is stiff hard 
>wire.  I think it is aircraft quality type wire or something
>like that, as I remember something about the wire being high quality.
>
>Probably if I had left it alone, it would have lasted forever.  But, 
>because I fooled with it, the wire now seems to be
>breaking all over. It just occurred to me that if I do not change the 
>wire, all of the elements will most likely break after a
>while.
>
>I could just get the same type wire, which probably is a good idea, as the 
>manufacturer likely knew what he was
>doing when he picked that wire out, but wondered what you guys 
>thought.  What type of wire would you use for the 2
>element 5 band quad?  The wire has to not only transmit RF but has to 
>forcefully bend the fiberglass supports so they
>extend further out on a horizontal plane.
>
>Thanks,



>  Joe,


I had the same problem with copper clad steel.  I live on the (salt) water, 
and the steel rusted and the antenna broke up into small pieces.  I now use 
insulated stranded copper wire.  You can get some from an antenna house 
which is much more flexible than ordinary stranded insulated copper wire 
which I have also used with success.

73, Chas, W1CG