[30m] Can conductive adhesive join aluminum and copper wire?

[John Kuklewicz N7ZN]

Jason Hsu, AA0II wrote:

> Thanks for your suggestions on my Screwdriver Antenna problem.
>....snip...
> 
> What are my options for attaching the copper and aluminum wires?  The
> options you've mentioned so far include:
> ...snip...
> 3.  Al-Cu-rated ground bar: This sounds like a good idea, but I hope it
> won't cost too much to buy 16 of these.  Unfortunately, the aluminum
> radials don't go all the way to the antenna, because I was expecting the
> foil duct tape to be a viable solution.

I would think you could get by with no more than four connection
bars, one on each 'side' of the antenna. Connect four radials to
each, and thread a copper wire through all four and tie both ends of
the copper wire to the antenna.

The small ground bars are usually $4-5 each.
example:
<http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00068ZJAC/qid=1149638157/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-6260014-3664861?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=hi&v=glance&n=228013>
(pack of five, five terminal bars for $20)
More choices here
<http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=nb_ss_hi/002-6260014-3664861?url=search-alias%3Dtools&field-keywords=ground+bar&Go.x=12&Go.y=6&Go=Go>
Can usually find these things at Home Depot or Lowes, etc.

There are other Al-Cu rated connectors. Go to the electrical section of a
home improvement store, or electrical supply house, and take a look or ask.

> 4.  Wire nuts: I once tried to join wires using those twist-on
> connectors with the plastic caps.  I couldn't get these connectors to
> work right.

Make sure the wire nuts are the proper size (The package will list the
allowed wire size combinations.)

Make sure the ends of the wires are even!

Work best if the wires are more or less the same gauge.

> 5.  ..snip...