Dipole Conductors

The general rule is to use wire for HF-band dipoles -- no. 12 or 14 being the most popular size. Aluminum tubing is used for HF, VHF and UHF Yagi antennas because this material is strong enough to be self-supporting. HF-band Yagis are equipped with elements that telescope. This reduces the overall weight by permitting us to use small-diameter tubing for the outer ends of the elements. The telescoping antenna elements also allow us to make easy adjustments when tuning the system for low SWR and maximum forward gain.

I suggest that you use stranded no. 14 copper wire for your HF-dipole elements. This wire is easily available and it does not cost a great deal of money. It is sufficiently flexible to endure under the stresses of wind and moderate icing, assum- ing it is supported properly. If the span of the dipole is greater than 130 feet, try to have a center support where the feed line is attached. RG-8 coaxial cable is quite heavy, and this places considerable stress on the dipole. RG-8X, on the other hand, is smaller and lighter, and may not cause too much stress at the center of the dipole. RG-8X will safely handle up to 1000 watts of RF power if the SWR on the line is less than 2:1. It is approximately the same diameter as 75-ohm RG-59 cable.

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