homemade dipole power handling

[dime196604]

how much power can a homemade dipole push? the gauge of wire you use to make it make difference ? if so what gauge for what power levels? just let me know your thoughts on it.

[drdx]

Probably more than you can afford to put through it. I've ran 1500 into a simple #14 wire dipole with no ill effect. I've also heard of guys using super thin stuff like #18 with 100 watt rigs so they're pretty rf durable.


-drdx

[231]

I agree with drdx. Unless you plan on running several kw of power, #12 or #14 should be just fine. I've known guys running #14 with 3kw's and no problem whatsoever.

[626]

Gentlemen,
As important as the gauge of wire is the insulator you use on each end of a horizontal wire dipole. Keep in mind that the ends of a dipole have a proportionately higher voltage and are more prone to arcing. So, with 12-14 gauge wire and a nice long insulator, you can use a ton of power.

[dime196604]

Ok thats fro all the input i don't think i will ever be running more then 200 watts through it so i think it will be all good

[Red Warrior]

Ok thats fro all the input i don't think i will ever be running more then 200 watts through it so i think it will be all good

Even at 200 watts the ends of a dipole antenna can have several thousand volts on them.

['Doc]

The size of the wire used for any antenna doesn't play that much in determining how much power it will handle. It does play a big part in terms of mechanical strength. It has to be strong enough to hold it's self and maybe the feed line without breaking and falling down. Something in the neighborhood of #18 is about as small as I would go with it (#18 Copperweld will work just dandy for almost anything). Something the size of #14 wire is probably the most commonly used. Why? Cuz there's just more of it around used for other things (house wiring?). No particular significance to that, just what's handy. Hard-drawn copper wire is 'better' than soft-drawn wire, it doesn't stretch as much. All you have is soft-drawn wire? So stretch it, just not too far. Bare or insulated wire? Makes no difference to RF, use what you got. Can you splice wire antennas? Sure, just make sure the splice is a good one, both electrically and mechanically. Different sizes of wire? Why not? The biggy is that it has to conduct electricity.
- 'Doc

[dime196604]

so as long as i insulate it the best i can and don't touch both sides at the same time on transmit( witch i don't think is possible) i should have no thing to worry about?

[Red Warrior]

so as long as i insulate it the best i can and don't touch both sides at the same time on transmit( witch i don't think is possible) i should have no thing to worry about?

You only need to touch one end of a dipole to experience the joy of a RF burn. The maximum voltage is at the end of the antenna relative to ground, not relative to the other end of the antenna.

Have fun but be safe.

[Red Warrior]

A quote from an article on EHam.

OK, now there are a few things you need to know about the electrical properties of the half-wave antenna. You should read up on antennas and understand why these are true.

1. The electrical current is highest at the center and lowest at the ends.

2. The voltage is lowest at the center, and highest at the ends.

3. It is the high-current portion of the antenna that radiates the most.

Reasons no. 1 and 2 show why we can feed the dipole in the center with a low-impedance line. The impedance is lowest there on the band it’s cut for, and at practical heights it is very near the impedance of the 52 ohm coax we are going to use for this single-band dipole. (Later, you can learn how to build multi-band antennas fed with open wire line.)

You can see from this information how important it is to have as much of the center portion at the highest possible point (Reason #3), but it is also permissible to allow the ends to droop or even hang straight down if need be. Don’t have the ends so low the neighborhood kids or anyone else can touch them. There are very dangerous voltages present (Reason #2).

[Radio 75]

Hard-drawn copper wire is 'better' than soft-drawn wire, it doesn't stretch as much. All you have is soft-drawn wire? So stretch it, just not too far. Bare or insulated wire? Makes no difference to RF, use what you got. Can you splice wire antennas? Sure, just make sure the splice is a good one, both electrically and mechanically. Different sizes of wire? Why not? The biggy is that it has to conduct electricity.
- 'Doc

Sage words. I have used the copper "antenna wire" that Radio Shack sells (sold, haven't built anything for quite awhile) and always pre-stretched it after the first times' learning experience.
Stranded copper household type wire works OK too if you can find it at the local salvage type store for cheap. Like Doc says, use what ya got, or can beg, borrow or,,, well beg or borrow.