John, I have no direct experience with your icing/wind conditions, but I would figure that #12 copperweld would be the best weight to strength ratio that you could muster.
If you can support the wire at a midway point, the weight will only be a factor over half the span length, the sag will be reduced dramatically, (by a fator of at least 4), and the tension requirements will be significantly reduced. If you are using trees for supports, remember that they sway in the wind, and antenna breakage will most frequently occur because of stresses in the wire resulting from that swaying. The use of counterbalances or 'bungie cords' to compensate for the tree swaying is imperitive in a wire that length (and resulting tension requirements). 73, Don W3FPR > -----Original Message----- > > I have an opportunity to put up an end fed long wire at our EOC > for use on 40, > 80 and 160. The span distance is 270 feet, a real handy length > for regional > communication on low bands. Height will be about 65 feet. We > will tune it > remotely with an SGC tuner. My concern is what type of wire will > take that > long of a span and hold up to wind and ice we have here in the midwest. > > Would appreciate comments from those who have had long spans of > wire up in the > air. > > John N0EVH (Every Volt Helps) > > > > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [email protected] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.1/421 - Release Date: 8/16/2006 > > _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [email protected] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

