[Elecraft] Antenna wire question for long spans

[Pat N8VW]

On Thu, 17 Aug 2006 22:38:04 -0500, n0evh <n0evh at birch.net> wrote :

> I have an opportunity to put up an end fed long wire at our EOC for use on 40,
> 80 and 160.  The span distance is 270 feet, a real handy length for regional
> communication on low bands.  Height will be about 65 feet.  We will tune it
> remotely with an SGC tuner.  My concern is what type of wire will take that
> long of a span and hold up to wind and ice we have here in the midwest.
> 
> Would appreciate comments from those who have had long spans of wire up in the
> air.
> 

Some kind of copperweld would be the best bet.  The 500+ foot one at W8LT
was up for 30+ years and used #10.

History:
http://arc.org.ohio-state.edu/history.php

Picture of the longwire:
http://arc.org.ohio-state.edu/images/station/old/3.jpg

I worked a VU2 on 75m with that antenna one winter.

Pat N8VW