[GreenKeys] OT. Antenna materials

[Jim Haynes]

I don't pretend to much expertise expertise about antennas.  I know
the bandwidth increases with fatness of the conductor.  I've made
ground plane antennas with thin wire for 2M for a single frequency.
The J-pole is easy to make with 1/2" copper pipe.  Most of the
commercial antennas seem to be made of aluminum; I guess the main
advantage of copper is that you can solder the parts together.
I've made coaxial antennas with copper pipe.  For thin wire you can
get brass welding rod that is stiff and conducts better than steel.

Jim W6JVE

jhhaynes at earthlink dot net