Solid core or stranded wire for dipole construction?

[VE3RCI]

I am working on constructing my very first trap dipole for working 20 meters. How ever I have seen a lot of amateurs that have shared their designs using stranded wire.

Now would using solid core wire such as the center conductor of RG 58 coax make any difference for my project?

I just bought a nice Yaesu FT-101E and I am really itching to use this rig as I have never worked or even used any HF bands other than 11 meters.

Anyways give me you opinions because I also have RG 58 with the stranded center conductor as well if the solid core is no good for this application.

Well I thank you for your advice/opinions in advance.

Dan ve3rci

 

[Robb]

You can use stranded wire or solid core. Doesn't make much difference. Don't have any idea why you need to use traps on a 20m dipole. Just cut each wire 1/4 of a wavelength for 20m. That's it; it is just that simple. A trap is used to make a long antenna shorter, but is useless because a 20m dipole is fairly short to begin with; about 33ft long overall . . .

http://www.wcerc.org/Projects/dipole.asp

 

[VE3RCI]

Robb the reason I am going with the traps is due to lack of space. It sucks living in the city with a small yard and no tower to work with. Anyways this design came from a fella that had designed a multi-band trap dipole to fit in his attic so I thought that this was a great idea and would work with what space I currently have to work with.

Anyways thank you for your help Robb it is greatly appreciated my friend!!
73's
Dan ve3rci

 

[w9cll]

I had the same issue when I was making dipole. After giving it some thought i figured that stranded wire with be slightly more resistant to breaking under heavy winds and icing.

 

[VE3RCI]

I had the same issue when I was making dipole. After giving it some thought i figured that stranded wire with be slightly more resistant to breaking under heavy winds and icing.

Maybe? It does not matter anyway because the RG 58 I have is all stranded center conductor. Although where I am located in Ontario, Canada offers a mixed bag at times during the winter so yea wire strength would be a definite plus for sure.

Dan ve3rci

 

[RatsoW8]

I had the same issue when I was making dipole. After giving it some thought i figured that stranded wire with be slightly more resistant to breaking under heavy winds and icing.

Stranded also has more surface area than solid.

 

[W5LZ]

Plain and simple, stranded wire is easier to work with, is typically stronger than a solid wire of the same size, not to mention more flexible.
Surface area just isn't a big deal at HF. There's not enough difference between a solid and stranded wire of the same size to make any difference until you get into the UHF/SHF regions. Then, it's a draw back as well as a benefit.
I've made various wire antennas for quite some time. In most instances that wire has been #14 stranded/insulated. The last solid wire I used was some electric fence wire. Not easy to work with, loved to kink, and I finally gave most of the spool away. Your area may be different, but here, stranded wire is much more common than solid wire. The best wire to use for an antenna is whatever you happen to have a lot, or enough of.
- 'Doc

 

[vo1ks]

I hope to get two antennas in the air shortly. Both will be built with 12 gauge solid copperweld wire. It has a much higher break strength than 14 gauge stranded.
The antennas will both be fed with balanced line. It will use 2-inch ceramic insulators and 14 gauge stranded copperweld.
Regular copper wire will stretch. I put up a temporary 80-meter antenna using 12 gauge electrical wire and it has sagged considerably since being installed.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

You can use stranded wire or solid core. Doesn't make much difference. Don't have any idea why you need to use traps on a 20m dipole. Just cut each wire 1/4 of a wavelength for 20m. That's it; it is just that simple. A trap is used to make a long antenna shorter, but is useless because a 20m dipole is fairly short to begin with; about 33ft long overall . . .

http://www.wcerc.org/Projects/dipole.asp

Robb the reason I am going with the traps is due to lack of space. It sucks living in the city with a small yard and no tower to work with. Anyways this design came from a fella that had designed a multi-band trap dipole to fit in his attic so I thought that this was a great idea and would work with what space I currently have to work with.

Anyways thank you for your help Robb it is greatly appreciated my friend!!
73's
Dan ve3rci

The purpose of a trap is NOT to make a long antenna shorter. It is to isolate a portion of an antenna to allow it to function on more than one band. Loading coils are used to shorten an antenna. When operating a trapped antenna on the lower band the traps ACT like loading coils and as a result the overall antenna length is shorter than it would be without them however that is a result of using them and not the purpose of them.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I hope to get two antennas in the air shortly. Both will be built with 12 gauge solid copperweld wire. It has a much higher break strength than 14 gauge stranded.
The antennas will both be fed with balanced line. It will use 2-inch ceramic insulators and 14 gauge stranded copperweld.
Regular copper wire will stretch. I put up a temporary 80-meter antenna using 12 gauge electrical wire and it has sagged considerably since being installed.

Hey Warren....give me a shout if you need a hand. I am on nights Saturday and Sunday and then off from July 29- Aug. 17. I plan to go camping part of that as well as get some of my own antenna work done but if I am available I can give you a hand if need be. Give me as much notice as you can however. LOL. I answer to no one while on vacation (Well perhaps the XYL)

 

[vo1ks]

The ground work side of it is easy but climbing the trees is another story. I can't even try to climb without someone else nearby to act as a spotter though.