Advice on building a windom (materials)

[KE5WXN]

I just received my 4:1 current balun rated at 2kW and I would like to know your thoughts on using electric fence wire for the antenna. I have two spools of the stuff and have no use for an electric fence so it seems the logical (cheap!) wire to use. Thanks for any help, Matthew.

[ZL3GSL]

Don't build a Windom. Since you've got a balun and (presumably) the coax to feed it, build an OCF (off-centre fed) dipole. ;)

Wire's wire. You've got lots of it, try it. If the wire is aluminium, it does want to corrode when in contact with stainless steel hardware, but there are greases available to minimise that.

[VK3FTIM]

Don't build a Windom. Since you've got a balun and (presumably) the coax to feed it, build an OCF (off-centre fed) dipole. ;)

Wire's wire. You've got lots of it, try it. If the wire is aluminium, it does want to corrode when in contact with stainless steel hardware, but there are greases available to minimise that.

As ZL3GSL Said Build a OCF dipole

Check out http://www.dxzone.com there's heaps of tips there

[W4INF]

I have a 66' OCF dipole fed 2/3 offset, works a champ. I still use my Z-100 to fine tune it, and I get really good reports with it. It even tunes 80m/CW, but Im about 2 S units down on TX with it. Its not designed or built for 80, but what the hay... it still works! :p

The OCF is the best dipole Ive built yet. Im running a 5:1 "OCF BALUN" from Buxcomm, it made a HUGE difference in my TX sigs.

http://www.buxcomm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11&products_id=1975

I previously ran an inexpensive 4:1 Voltage BALUN, it did work... but with the MM51 the antenna REALLY came to life!!

Andrew

[PA5COR]

Running a 1:6.7 balun 2 kW with 1:1 current balun feeding my off centre fed dipole wich has a coil (190 micro Henry) and 30 feet of wire on the short end to make it resonant on 160.
On 80 and up its the normal FD-4 antenna, at 45 feet above good ground straight between chimney's

My homebrew OCF's ranging from 400 watt to 5 KWatt with homebrew baluns for holliday and made for other hams here, Jota/Joti etc wire was made of copper, copperclad steel, galvanised steel wire, stainless steel wire, whatever i had here, or the new owner wanted.
Most were build for cost price, and tested with the MFJ 269 analyser.

I tried 1:4, 1:5 and last the 1:6.7 like the balun Fritzel used for his OCF.
I put in the 1:1 current balun in the same housing to keep R.F out of thee shack, and it works well.
Living on the edge of our town i have no trouble running 1200 watts into it.

For hollidays in France or other countries i made a 1:4 balun, mostly the OCF is rather low, under 33 feet high.
Then the 1:4 balun works better, made both ends too long of the wire wich then are folded back, so i can prune the antennna at the spot for best swr.

Just build one, test it and have fun experimenting

73,
Cor