James R. Duffey 
Fri Nov 26 21:25:48 EST 2004 

Rick - Here are some loss calculations for ribbon line as a function of
frequency.   Values for both 2 conductors and the WE6W 4 conductor version
are calculated. I made these calculations in 2000 using MathPad, a free and
useful computational application for the Macintosh.

At the higher frequencies, even RG-58 is much better than this. These
transmission losses are dominated by Ohmic losses, even though vinyl is
about as bad a dielectric as one can imagine.

I hope that this helps somebody. Feedline is a poor place to save money in
your shack. - Dr. Megacycle KK6MC/5

Calculated Loss for Two Conductor Feedline Made
by Stripping Ribbon Line
    
    Frequency    Attenuation (dB/100ft)
         MHz         Total        Electrical    Dielectric
      1.000      0.533      0.485          0.048
      2.000      0.782      0.686          0.096
      3.000      0.985      0.840          0.144
      4.000      1.163      0.970          0.193
      5.000      1.326      1.085          0.241
      6.000      1.477      1.188          0.289
      7.000      1.621      1.284          0.337
      8.000      1.757      1.372          0.385
      9.000      1.889      1.455          0.433
     10.000      2.016      1.534          0.482
     11.000      2.139      1.609          0.530
     12.000      2.258      1.681          0.578
     13.000      2.375      1.749          0.626
     14.000      2.489      1.815          0.674
     15.000      2.601      1.879          0.722
     16.000      2.711      1.941          0.770
     17.000      2.819      2.000          0.819
     18.000      2.925      2.058          0.867
     19.000      3.030      2.115          0.915
     20.000      3.133      2.170          0.963
     21.000      3.234      2.223          1.011
     22.000      3.335      2.275          1.059
     23.000      3.434      2.327          1.107
     24.000      3.532      2.377          1.156
     25.000      3.629      2.426          1.204
     26.000      3.726      2.474          1.252
     27.000      3.821      2.521          1.300
     28.000      3.915      2.567          1.348
     29.000      4.009      2.613          1.396
     30.000      4.102      2.657          1.445
     
     
 Calculated Loss for "WE6W 4 minus 2" Transmission Line
 Made from  Ribbon LIne
 
 
  Frequency            Attenuation (dB/100ft)
         MHz         Total        Electrical Dielectric
AD
      1.000      0.533      0.485          0.048
      2.000      0.782      0.686          0.096
      3.000      0.985      0.840          0.144
      4.000      1.163      0.970          0.193
      5.000      1.326      1.085          0.241
      6.000      1.477      1.188          0.289
      7.000      1.621      1.284          0.337
      8.000      1.757      1.372          0.385
      9.000      1.889      1.455          0.433
     10.000      2.016      1.534          0.482
     11.000      2.139      1.609          0.530
     12.000      2.258      1.681          0.578
     13.000      2.375      1.749          0.626
     14.000      2.489      1.815          0.674
     15.000      2.601      1.879          0.722
     16.000      2.711      1.941          0.770
     17.000      2.819      2.000          0.819
     18.000      2.925      2.058          0.867
     19.000      3.030      2.115          0.915
     20.000      3.133      2.170          0.963
     21.000      3.234      2.223          1.011
     22.000      3.335      2.275          1.059
     23.000      3.434      2.327          1.107
     24.000      3.532      2.377          1.156
     25.000      3.629      2.426          1.204
     26.000      3.726      2.474          1.252
     27.000      3.821      2.521          1.300
     28.000      3.915      2.567          1.348
     29.000      4.009      2.613          1.396
     30.000      4.102      2.657          1.445

______________________
James R. Duffey KK6MC/5
Cedar Crest NM 87008 DM65