[Elecraft] Ladder line changes when wet (was KAT500...)

[David Gilbert]

I agree.  Pure water has very little loss, and while rain water isn't 
pure it's not bad.  In my opinion the primary effect that water has on 
clean ladder line is that it changes the velocity factor.

However, I'm sure it's a completely different story for ladder line that 
is dirty and porous insulation from aging.  I could imagine it being 
pretty lossy at voltage peaks along the line if it is being used with a 
high SWR.

Dave   AB7E


On 7/20/2025 1:51 PM, Al Lorona via Elecraft wrote:
> Here are two more centavos to add to the debate:
>
> https://www.mail-archive.com/elecraft@mailman.qth.net/msg252065.html
>
> Shortly after I made that post, I received a private reply from a ham who took loss measurements while his window line was submerged in his pool! He measured no significant increase in loss. Based largely on this data point I believe that rain water on window line has far less effect on its *loss* than soapy water does, for the reasons I gave in that post.
>
> It's okay to dislike window line-- despise it, even-- but let's be careful of repeating false information about it that seems to have been debunked.
>
> R,
>
> Al  W6LX/4
>
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