Radio Antenna Wire Size
- Thread starter Bigmerle
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cvairwerks
Staff Sergeant
W-106A antenna wire. Current closest equivalent available right now, without having a run made, is CopperWeld 18 gauge, single strand.
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- #3
cvairwerks
Staff Sergeant
I don't know if W-106A was coated or not. I do know that it doesn't take long for it to develop a patina. I've searched for a spool of either W106 or W106A for one of my projects, but haven't had any success in the 4 years I've been looking. Several fairly knowledgeable people have told me that Copperweld is electrically and strength wise close enough for my use.
BTW, one slight correction, it should be 14 gauge and not 18. Had 18 on my mind for some other work going on.
BTW, one slight correction, it should be 14 gauge and not 18. Had 18 on my mind for some other work going on.
EAIAnalog
Airman
Here's a B-29 engineering drawing that calls out all of the antenna lengths. Flag note 1 covers the wire to be used and who could supply it.
My father was an SAC in RAF prior to war. He had several reels of the copper wire used, all of it was covered with dark brown shellac. Knowing how much oily sooty fumes came out of the engines, it wouldn't take long for the sticky coating to develop and hold the dirt on the wire. R/T ops used to ask for the wire to be wiped during maintenance, just to give them a sporting chance of receiving signals, remember it was all done in morse on bombers initially, spoken R/T was reserved for the fighters, being single seat in most cases.
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- #7
Thanks EAI for the link
Swede Ware
Airman
Are you asking for wiring for antennas in 1/48th scale?
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- #9
No. 1:1
MIflyer
1st Lieutenant
Inside the aircraft the HF antenna wire was insulated with tiny ceramic "cups" that had a hole through the middle, like doll house cereal bowls stacked one atop the other. This gave the wire the appearance of being thick white wire.
cvairwerks
Staff Sergeant
AKA....Fish Spine Beads...There were several variations of them, with the IN-83 being the predominate one used in short runs.
The same style insulator is still used to today, but mainly in the instrumentation world for high temp thermocouple wiring protection.
UcantCme420
Recruit
- 1
- Oct 12, 2024
Ill see if i can gather anything from the bac
I too want to know and i can look up the spec. It will tell me the company and other possibilities !
Ill let ya know IF i find it.
I too want to know and i can look up the spec. It will tell me the company and other possibilities !
Ill let ya know IF i find it.
ThomasP
Senior Master Sergeant
FWIW
This is the 2008 MilSpec Dtl for W-106 and W-106-A antenna wire. I do not know if it was the same in WWII.
This is the 2008 MilSpec Dtl for W-106 and W-106-A antenna wire. I do not know if it was the same in WWII.
cvairwerks
Staff Sergeant
As an FYI to those going thru this thread, I goofed on the wire size... W-106 is 18 gauge. CopperWeld CW18, available from many ham radio suppliers, should work as a replacement. The one difference in it, is the CW18 has a higher tensile strength than W-106.
