Source for tinned flat copper wire
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| Mar 6th 2014, 01:09 | |
parkercaTotal Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
Hello, all. This is my first post to the forums :) I am planning on putting up a horizontal loop antenna in my backyard, which I will feed with ladder line to operate on multiple bands. A big part of my plan is to build a proper balanced tuner with variable inductors & capacitors. I don't intend to operate with more than 100W (the maximum of my equipment currently) In addition to my radio hobby activities, I also am a hobby machinist, so I plan to build my variable inductors rather than purchase them. I plan to build these along the "coil & capstan" design (scroll down to the bottom of this page for an example http://www.g3ynh.info/comps/Vari_L.html ). I can source all of the parts that I will require EXCEPT for the flat wire. I've come up with two potential alternatives: 1) tinned 18awg copper wire (round). I can get this for a pretty good price on EBay, but I am concerned that the the constant deformation of the wire as it is wound from the shorting cylinder to the coil form and back again will work-harden it, causing an eventual break. 2) Solar cell bus wire. This is 5mm x 0.2mm tinned flat wire. The advantage is that, because of the thinness of the wire, any deformation can be kept within the springiness of the wire. However, the wire comes pre-coated with solder. I'm not sure if this will have any long-term detrimental effects on the inductor. G3YNH's webpage states that the original production coil/capstan inductor used silver plated phosphor-bronze wire, which I can't find anywhere. If anyone has any idea where I could get the proper phosphor-bronze wire, or any insight/advice into the other two options that I have proposed (or other ideas), I'd love to hear from you! Thanks, -Chris (VA7PK) |
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