The AM Forum

Hi guys I have decided to move to 75m, I am building up a antenna and need one more or a pair of clear glass 3 inch insulators. The one that I have is 3 inches  so if I cant match it I will need a matched pair. I live in a close residentual neighborhood and I hope to keep the antenna kind of hid. Where is a good place to buy the insulators and antenna wire.

Thanks John
W9BFO

Use ceramic-type insulators. Your wallet will be a lot happier. Last 4 or 5 inch glass insulator I saw for sale went for about $200. Even some old CD's pancaked together will work as insulators. You can buy rolls of wire from places like Home Depot, Lowe's, hardware stores, etc.

I see old buzzard glass insulators in the dollar or 50 cent boxes at nearly every hamfest I go to.  $200.00  ???

Here's one on ebay for $10.00 plus there's 7 pages of glass insulators:
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-GLASS-ELECTRIC-WIRING-INSULATOR-COLLECTIBLE_W0QQitemZ160392710539QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item255826898b

Colored glass insulators are "prized" by collectors.

John,

I can probably help you with  a couple of insulators, if you don't find any locally.  I suggest that you just feed the 75 M dipole with open wire or ladder line, use an antenna tuner and you can use it for all bands.  No need to give up 40M and perhaps, add some new bands to your capabilities.  Let me know if you need the insulators.

73,  Jack, W9GT

I buy em all day at any fester I go to Pete. using 3 of em right now. You are right, some of the colored ones are big money to the right poeple.  But most of those folk want the telegraph units off the train poles.

I bought several of these types of end insulators, but mine looked a bit fatter, at some hamfest for about $1.50 or $2.00 each, many many years ago for the 80 and 40 meter dipoles. They have been hanging tough now for about 28 years. I've changed the wire twice for both antennas, but still used the same insulators.

(http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/antsup/4763.jpg)

Thanks everyone for there efforts here, I see what looks like what I have on ebay so I will make a bid. Hope to see everyone on 75m soon sure beats 40m calling CQ CQ and no one comes back to me.

John W9BFO

John,

Once you get on 75 don't forget to check in to the Mid West Classic Radio Net.  It meets every Saturday at 7:30 A.M. central on 3885.  You should have no problem being heard from Mt. Vernon.  I am net control on the 30'th of this month and I hope to hear you then.

Rodger WQ9E

Farm supply stores sell ceramic and plastic insulators for fencing...CDs work for low power...They will arc out (Ihave experience) under High power application....good luck

Here's some you can bid on right now...

   200428365495    280452100302

There is also a guy in England I bought some nice 7" ribbed clear glass ones from herewhileback, about $20 per.  I don't remember who, but he is a regular on eBay.

73 dg

Buzzardly Pyrex 67007 antenna insulators are what you are looking for. But they don't help hide your antenna at all. Instead, they'll say to your neighbors HEY! I GOT SOME KINDA DANGEROUS HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL RADIO THING GOIN' HERE!

(http://www.qsl.net/wb1gfh/images/insul.gif)

If you want stealth, use fishing line or clear plastic tubing at the antenna ends.

WEED WACKER LINE  works very well for antenna supports,,,It is available in clear and black..Go for the round type not the edged stuff....very stealthy ..will stretch when the wind blows...Stays up for a long time... UV resistant as well....

Once up in the air anything of any dimension merely looks black, glass or not.

use ceramic insulators or a non conductive rope or similar. I use dacron rope, no insulators.

Once up in the air, even fat wire is very hard to see...

               _-_-

John,

Two 3" glass insulators are on the way to you.

73,

Jack, W9GT

Thanks for the efforts from everyone Jack W9GT is going to send me the insulators. You would only get this kind of help from AMers not most ssbers.

Thanks again
John W9BFO

I have a single foot long or better glass insulator, about 2" OD... wazzat worth today?

The other one, had two, broke some years ago... clear glass of course...

                 _-_-bear

Go to the hardware store and buy a sheet of Lexan glazing, also known as Polycarbonate or Tuffak.  DO NOT get acrylic or plexiglass.  Run it through the table saw, and rip it into 3/4 or 1" strips, and cut into 6" lengths.  Drill a hole into each end, and you have a lifetime supply of insulators.  Lexan WILL NOT BREAK, is good for RF, and is as close to invisible as you can get!  You can also make center insulators from it. 

True, it doesn't have the buzzardly quality that glass does, but it is CHEAP and WORKS GOOD.

73

I guess many SSBers would sooner send you two logs of frozen cow poop! ;D

But seriously, I have gotten generously 'gifted' by SSBers, CWers, AMers, even a CBer before, so I think the radio bug may be the common denominator.