Amateur Vhf

What type of solid copper wire would I need to build a ground plane antenna for VHF & UHF Amateur radio use?

I am looking into building an antenna that was featured in the December 2008issue of CQ. It calls for 10 or 12 gauge solid copper wire. I did a search through Radio Shack and I am coming up with several types of wire.
What type of wire should I be using for this antenna?
Thanks.

I USED 10 GA SOLID COPPER
WITH A BLACK PLASTIC COVER
REMOVING 2 FT FROM ONE END
TO MAKE A TRAP LOOP I RAN 2
EA FROM BOTH ENDS OF MY 50
FT HOME DROPED DOWN 20 FT
AND GROWNED ONE LINE TO A
6 FT COPER GROUNDING ROD
THE OTHER TO MY EICO TRANSMITTER FACING EAST=
WEST AND TALKED TO EVERYONE
IN SO AMERICA AND AROUND THE
GLOBE IN A 300 W HOMEMADE
THIS ANTANA WORKS WONDERS
ON CB AND SCANNER RECEPTION

8 CQ The Radio Amateur’s Journal Issues & 4 Other books: VHF Manual & Handbook $24.99

DUAL BAND VHF/UHF GLASS MOUNT ANTENNA – AMATEUR BANDS $17.99

Yaesu VX-3R VHF UHF Dual Band Handset Ham Amateur Radio $81.00

2 Meter VHF Copper J-Pole Base Antenna amateur ham radio / scanner 144-148Mhz $26.99

VHF 144Mhz to 148Mhz. 2 METER AMATEUR RADIO UNIT / Estate Item $159.00

Clegg FM-28 2 Meter VHF-FM Amateur Radio Transceiver $19.99

RARE BRAND NEW RADIO SHACK HTX-202 2 METER AMATEUR VHF-FM TRANSCEIVER NEW IN BOX $61.00

1942 ARRL THE RADIO AMATEUR’S HANDBOOK nineteenth edition HAM TUBE vintage vhf $39.95

TYT TH-F5 VHF 136-174Mhz Amateur radio+ Free Earp thf5 $55.80

Kenwood BO-9 Base Unit TR-9000 9130 9300 9500 Amateur Ham Radio 2 Meter VHF bjd $99.99

AMATEUR HAM RADIO DATACHART VHF/UHF BANDPLAN 8 1/2 x 11 $7.80

TYT TH-F5 VHF 136-174Mhz Amateur radio+S3 adaptor $59.80

Icom IC-2000H IC 2000 VHF High Power 2 Meter Ham Radio Transceiver Amateur $89.99

The Radio Amateur’s VHF Manual $5.00

Workman UVS-200 UHF/VHF 144 / 440 MHz Dual Band Base Amateur Ham Radio Antenna $54.90

All about VHF Amateur Radio by William I. Orr 0823087050 $5.99

TYT TH-F5 VHF 136-174Mhz Amateur radio THF5 $55.80

TYT TH-F5 VHF 136-174Mhz Amateur radio+S3 adaptor THF5 $59.80

Kenwood TM-V71A VHF & UHF Dual Band Mobile Two Way Ham & Amateur Radio NEW $419.95

The Radio Amateur’s Vhf Manual, 3rd Edition, 2nd Printi $18.99

GE Mastr Exec II Ham Repeater/Amateur Radio Repeater VHF or UHF $399.95

NEW SPEAKER MIC FOR KENWOOD TK TH RADIO VHF UHF AMATEUR $16.98

IC-V8 Amateur Radio VHF – TWIN SET Hunters Green HT transciever IC V8 $199.95

DUAL BAND VHF/UHF GLASS MOUNT ANTENNA AMATEUR BANDS $21.95

Guide to VHF/UHF Amateur Radio I.D. Poole $24.36

ARRL VHF/UHF Antenna Classics NEW HAM Amateur Radio $14.95

1972 ARRL RADIO AMATEUR VHF MANUAL HANDBOOK antenna amplifier tube ham mobile $7.99

Dual Band VHF/UHF Antenna BNC Connector For Amateur WEP-7 144MHz/430MHz NEW $12.99

Laird Technologies 144/440 Dual Band Amateur VHF UHF Antenna (spring base) $59.95

Tram Dual Band VHF UHF 144/440 Amateur Base Antenna 17′ $129.95

Tram Dual Band VHF UHF 144/440 Amateur Base Antenna $79.95

Tram 144-148 & 440-450 MHz VHF Glass Mount Dual Band Amateur Ham Radio Antenna $19.95

ICOM 2200H 65 Watt VHF Mobile Two Way Ham & Amateur 2 Meter Radio NEW $229.95

ICOM 2200H 65 Watt VHF Mobile Two Way Ham & Amateur 2 Meter Radio NEW $209.95

Dual bander VHF/UHF Amateur Tranceiver TWIN SET VT -UV2 $200.00

The Radio Amateur’s VHF Manual – Hints And Kinks for the Radio Amateur $24.99

TYT TH-F5 VHF/UHF Amateur two way radio Hot and Nice!! $67.30

Radio waves are easy to generate, can travel long distances and penetrate buildings, so they are widely used for communication, both indoors and outdoors. Radio waves are also omnidirectional, which means that travel in all directions from the source, so that the transmitter and receiver need not be carefully aligned physically.

The properties of radio waves are frequency dependent. At low frequencies, radio waves are able to pass through obstacles, but the power falls off sharply if the distance from the source increases: in the air, the power falls roughly by the cube of the distance. At high frequencies, waves radio tend to travel in straight lines and bounce off obstacles. They are also absorbed by the rain. In all frequencies, radio waves are subject to interference engine and other electrical equipment.

In the VLF, LF and MF bands, radio waves follow the ground and can be detected by 1000 km in the lower frequencies, less on the higher. Source: IPA.

In the HF and VHF bands, waves of land tend to be absorbed by the earth. However, the waves that reach the ionosphere are refracted for her and sent back to earth. Under certain atmospheric conditions, the signal can bounce several times. Amateur radio operators can use these bands to discuss long distances. The military also announced the HF and VHF bands.

Rigid circuit board PCB (printed rigid) used in radio frequency applications (antennas) have to match the specific requirements on the signal propagation. This needs, impacts on material / dielectric must be used during PCB manufacture.

About the Author:

printed circuit boards

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Radio Transmission – Rigid pcb for Radio Frequency application