Any soldered connection is fine, and not a "high ohmic connection". The
only time you really need to worry is if you're using an electrically
small antenna such as a small loop for transmitting and even then any
soldered joint is ok.

I often use wire nuts (the sort used for house wiring) for temporary or
even semi-permanent antenna connections.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

MGFoster wrote:
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I'm working QRP (5W max) and I'm construction my own antennas. I've
read that antenna efficiency can be degraded by "high ohmic connections"
(especially deleterious to QRP ops). I'm assuming that we shouldn't
make potato-sized solder joints when assembling the antenna. So, I was
wondering what would be the best way to connect various parts of the
antenna?

Example: I've created a 4:1 balun based on Ron's (VK2DQ) description in
his article "Understanding and building the OCF dipole." The toroid
windings had to be connected. So, rather than twist them together (they
are 18 AWG) and solder them, I laid the pieces side-by-side (abt 1/4")
and solder them together. Is that a "high ohmic" connection? If so,
what other way could the pieces be soldered together w/o creating a high
ohmic connection?

For other parts of the antenna (e.g., the feed-point) would connectors
(quick release, ring type, etc.) be better than a solder joint?

Thanks,