In past years (when I had a 80/160 vertical, I used normal 60/40 solder to solder radials to some 2"-wide copper strap. Then I just painted over the joints with black "tree paint" that I got from Home Depot. All joints were still in good shape when I cut everything apart and moved about 10-years ago. I still have some to the copper strap rolled up in my current workshop and the ends of the radial wires are still there, nice and tight.
------------------- Wes Attaway (N5WA) (318) 393-3289 - Shreveport, LA Computer/Cellphone Forensics AttawayForensics.com ------------------- -----Original Message----- From: Topband [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Richard (Rick) Karlquist Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2016 10:53 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Topband: Soldering radials? I'd like to get the latest thinking from the group on soldering radials. What I currently thinking is as follows: SOLDER SELECTION: 1. Tin lead doesn't hold up in the weather. 2. "Stay Brite" 3% silver solder (97% tin, no lead) is known to work well, but is expensive, and has a considerably higher melting point than 63/37. 3. Lead free plumber's solder obviously works in water pipes, but does it hold up outdoors in the rain? What is the melting point? FLUX SELECTION: 1. Pure rosin. Hardest to work with, but minimum corrosion issues. 2. Activated rosin. Easier to work with. What corrosion issues are there? 3. Acid core plumber's flux. Very easy to work with, very corrosive. Does this hold up in the rain, etc? (I remember the dire warnings that Heathkit manuals had about not using acid core solder, but I guess that doesn't apply to radials.) CRIMPING? Has anyone tried crimping as an alternative to solder? Rick N6RK _________________ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _________________ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
