Wire for antenna radials

[Waylorn]

I am setting up a portable antenna for qrp use while fishing and I am having a spot of trouble with the swr. I went to lowes to get some wire and all I could find was solid core 20ga underground fence wire. The lowest SWR I could get with 8 33 foot and 6 17.5 foot radials was 1.8 on 40 meter. I know this antenna will do better but I dont want to spend a fortune on wire for radials. This antenna seems to require a few of them to work properly. Anyone have any ideas?

This is the antenna. There are several good reviews of it on youtube and other places.
https://www.gabilradio.com/gra-7350t (mine is the tc 3/8th by 24 thread laser engraved version)

 

[KF0NYL]

BNTECHGO silicon wire is very popular for antennas and radials. It is flexible and rolls up easily.

BNTECHGO wire

It can be bought in divergence wire gauge, colors and spool sizes. I use the 18 Gauge wire (linked) with my REZ Recon 40 antenna and it works well. I have also used the same wire to make EFHW antennas.

 

[krokus]

Which type of antenna are you making?

 

[Golay]

I am setting up a portable antenna for qrp use while fishing and I am having a spot of trouble with the swr. I went to lowes to get some wire and all I could find was solid core 20ga underground fence wire. The lowest SWR I could get with 8 33 foot and 6 17.5 foot radials was 1.8 on 40 meter. I know this antenna will do better but I dont want to spend a fortune on wire for radials. This antenna seems to require a few of them to work properly. Anyone have any ideas?

This is the antenna. There are several good reviews of it on youtube and other places.
https://www.gabilradio.com/gra-7350t (mine is the tc 3/8th by 24 thread laser engraved version)

Sounds like you may of bought steel wire. Go back to Lowes and get 25' of 12/2 or 14/2 Romex in the electrical department. $30. Three conductor copper wire. Red, white and bare. Slice it open with a razor knife and use that as radials. Be just fine.

 

[AK9R]

At the Lowes near me:

100 feet of 14 gauge THHN stranded copper in your choice of white, green, red, or black insulation, $46.00
100 feet of 14 gauge THHN solid copper in your choice of white, green, red, or black insulation, $42.80
25 feet of 14/2 with ground solid copper Romex, $29.45

By comparison, at DX Engineering:

100 feet of 14 gauge stranded copper GPT automotive electrical wire in your choice of red, black, blue, yellow, green, orange, white, brown, or purple insulation, $22.99
150 feet of 14 gauge stranded copper PVC insulated "antenna wire" in your choice of yellow, green, or pink, $33.99
75 feet of 14 gauge stranded copper PVC insulated "premium antenna wire" in black, $22.49

I think I'd go with stranded conductor wire. Much easier to work with than solid conductor wire.

 

[merlin]

I presume this is an end fed wire, I have used the same and just 14 or 18 gage stranded does fine for counterpoise. Cut for some even division of your desired band.
10, 15, and 20 do OK for me with 16 foot.