I am about to make an 18 mHz wire antenna and need to know whether the length of each side should have extra inches added to wrap around the insulators and be twisted back on itself.  Also in my QTH it would be easier for me to erect the antenna if I could put the wires inside plastic water pipe with a T junction in the center and a long upright piece to get it up in the air.  (I have no garden area)  My question is, will the pipe surrounding the wire degrade its performance very much if at all?  Thanks in advance.  Barry

I live in an area with many low-hanging trees, and my vertical antennas suffer greatly.  I would like to make an 18mHz horizontal (dipole?) antenna from aluminum tubing that could be fastened above the roof rack of my Previa van.

Any suggestions please?  Thanks in advance.  Barry