Cheap but usable wire?

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Trevor
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:35 pm

Cheap but usable wire?

Post by Trevor » Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:39 pm

I'm new and am waiting to receive my SDRPlay. Not sure what I'll be using it for.
Can someone recommend some generally appropriate wire to buy to make an antenna?
Ideally a link to Amazon or something equivalent?
Thanks, Trevor.
Last edited by Trevor on Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am, edited 0 times in total.
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mikeladd
Posts: 191
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:18 am

Re: Cheap but usable wire?

Post by mikeladd » Sat Mar 16, 2019 9:39 pm

I assume by wire antenna you want to listen to HF.

This is what I use.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1000-Feet-20-A ... 1438.l2649

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Trevor
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Joined: Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:35 pm

Re: Cheap but usable wire?

Post by Trevor » Sun Mar 17, 2019 8:06 am

Thanks.
Last edited by Trevor on Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am, edited 0 times in total.
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SDRnerd
Posts: 56
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 6:29 pm

Re: Cheap but usable wire?

Post by SDRnerd » Wed Mar 20, 2019 10:04 am

Trevor, I use old US-army telephone wire. It is made from mainly stainless steel strands and a few copper strands. This offers a very good strength and good conductivity. It is dual wire and dates from 1953! and is sold on reels of a quarter mile. I paid €20 for a reel a few years back. The wire lasts a lifetime.

Good luck!

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ON5HB
Posts: 140
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2018 1:07 pm

Re: Cheap but usable wire?

Post by ON5HB » Wed Mar 27, 2019 12:31 pm

Hi Trevor,

You can use cheap steel-wire with a zinc coating of about 2mm thick.
A roll of 100m will cost about 20 euro/pound and insulators can be found for horse-electrical-fences.
Most simple and effective antenna is a single wire of about 50m long en some counter like a fence.

Just Google for "simple long wire antenna" plenty ideas but often a simple piece of long wire working well.

Even SDRplay has a good video on how to make a simple antenna:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUwAOvgMkfs

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