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Old June 13th 10, 01:37 PM posted to rec.radio.shortwave
Brian Gregory [UK] Brian Gregory [UK] is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jun 2007
Posts: 32
Default Why Solder the Ends of Stranded Antenna Wire ?

"RHF" wrote in message
...
To Solder or Not Solder the Ends of Stranded Antenna Wire ?

I was taught many years ago that it was always
a good Idea to Solder the Ends [1/2"~1" of my
Stranded Antenna Wire to Electrically Bond
them on both Ends in case any individual strands
should break.
+ Plus on the Feed-End the Soldered Stranded Wire
made for a better Mechanical Connection to the Hardware.


Not a bad idea at the feed end as long as solder is conpatible with whatever
method you use to make the connection. Solder slowly deforms and can make
crimped or screw conenctions become loose over time.
I don't see any point at the other end.


* Also the claim is that the Solder & Iron/Steel/SS
'connection' was less likely to Corrode then Copper
& Iron/Steel/SS.


Not sure.



? Is Soldering the Wire Ends common practice ?

=Alternatively= I have been told to only Solder the
Stranded Antenna Wire at the Feed-End; and
then Tie-a-Knot in the Far-End about an Inch or
two from the End {Overhand Knot or Loop Knot}
-and-then-to- Separate-out the individual wires into
a Porcupine {half-ball} so that the Static Electricity
could bleed-off and reduce some of the the static
'noise' on the Antenna Wire.


This is nonsense. I suspect it arises from the way americans use the same
word "static" to refer to both the high voltage static electricity that
gives you shocks after walking on nylon carpets etc, and to refer to antenna
noise. They are rather different things.

The only thing worth doing at both ends, with an insulated wire, is sealing
the wire to keep moisture out


? Does splaying the Far-End Antenna Wires really
help to Bleed-off the Static build-up on the Wire ?


Well it might affect high voltage static electricity build up I guess but
that won't be present when the antenna is connected to your receiver.


thinking about the things i do . . .
and the why of it all ~ RHF


--

Brian Gregory. (In the UK)

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