OK...after agonizing over it I've decided to go with stranded copper for my first antenna project, the fan dipole. Later I might try the aluminum and/or galvanized electric fence wire, but for the first one I'm going to be simple and basic, not try to be cute.
I picked up abpout half the materials today and ordered the rest, so I'll be starting tomorrow and finishing sometime next week. I do have an observation and a question.
First, I'm building one of these two (very little difference):
MULTI BAND HF FAN DIPOLE ANTENNA DESIGN
The KJ4IIF Multiband "FAN" Dipole for 160, 80 and 40 Meters
...and I'm changing one thing. Both call for using pvc...the first a length of 4" for the ugly balun and 1/2 or 3/4 for the spreaders and the second for the spreaders.
Bad idea. PVC is very subject to UV and in a relatively short time will become VERY brittle...like in less than 2 years. The most similar, inexpensive material you can get, especially for the spreaders, is the grey plastic 1/2 or 3/4" (for the spreaders. I don't know if it comes in ~4" for the balun) electrical conduit sold at any home improvement center. Its cheap, will do the job, and is impervious to UV.
Now my question. I don't know that I want to get too ambitious on my first antenna. Should I go all the way and do radials for 10, 20, 40, 80. and 160 meters, or leave off the 160? Is there much activity on 160? I'm thinking maybe I should go with just 10, 20, 40, and 80 meters.
Y'all say what?
