[ADXA] Radial Connections

Tue Dec 13 07:45:21 EST 2022

Hi John,

A discussion on radials among a group usually winds up at the same level 
of politics and religion!!!!

You have received some excellent info from Jay and Chuck. Here at W5ZN I 
have about 12 miles (yes miles!!!) of radial wire under my 160 meter 5 
element parasitic transmitting array and quite a bit under my 80 meter 4 
square. In the 160 meter array there are 120 radials under each of the 
five elements and over 1,000 connection points in order to achieve the 
proper layout of the radial field. I can talk more about that off line 
or see some details here https://ncjweb.com/features/sepoct18feat.pdf 
and see a photo of one of the radial plate connections.

I use a DX Engineering stainless steel radial plate underneath each 
element that utilizes a bolted connection for the radials. I crimp then 
solder a terminal lug on each radial and bolt it to the plate. That is 
my preference. There is NOTHING wrong with using a copper wire or pipe 
as the radial connection point and soldering the radials to it. Several 
BIG GUNS do just that (Even K3LR who works at DX Engineering doesn't use 
the plates!)

I use regular solder. Now, understand this is NOT applicable to all 
locations. As Jay and Chuck have noted the condition of the soil at your 
location will determine this and mine is based on experience. Some soils 
are really acidic and will literally dissolve regular solder after a 
year or two (I've heard reports of six months as well). I first 
installed my 80 meter 4 square in 2008 and used regular solder on all 
the connections. Over the years I checked a few of the connections to 
see how they held up. I have no issue at all here, those connections are 
still solid. As noted by Jay and Chuck, silver solder is difficult to 
work with and requires significant attention to detail. It took me two 
weeks, working every day, to complete the over 1,000 connections on my 
160 meter array. If I would have had to use silver solder I'm convinced 
that time would have been doubled.

If you are going to use a bolted connection for the radials you will 
have dissimilar metal between the terminal lug and the radial plate. 
Over time these will develop a surface condition that will deteriorate 
the conductivity of the joint. Regardless of how tight you make the 
connection, water will also enter and cause an issue. I used Penatrox 
for years on bolted joints and on joints when building antennas however 
over the past four years I now us JetLube SS-30, a pure copper paste 
made specifically for dissimilar metals and bolted connections that the 
military and aircraft industry uses. (its not very expensive and a 
little goes a long way!). You can buy it on Amazon or from DX 
Engineering.

After I have make a connection I then weather proof the connection with 
liquid tape or 3M Skotchkote. Liquid tape can begin to degrade after a 
couple of years. Each year I splash on another coat over the radial 
plate connections. The 3M Skotchkote is excellent but takes some care to 
not get it all over you and everything else!

So, just to summarize:

1. If you want to crimp radial connections, also solder them (be safe, 
wear suspenders and a belt!)

2. The type of solder required is based on the soil conditions at your 
QTH. For most locations regular solder is fine.

3. There is no superior way to connect radials. A stainless steel radial 
plate or copper wire/pipe are both very effective as along as the 
connection is solid and secure.

As a side note, you do NOT have to bury radials. That is a waste of 
time. I spoke about this during one of my presentations at the ADXA 
meeting. I can provide additional details if needed.

If you have additional questions I'll be more than pleased to try to 
answer them. I don't consider myself an expert, just a ham with a ton 
(maybe 2-tons with the 160 meter array) of experience with radials and 
know what works here at W5ZN.

This got long but as I said, a discussion on radials is on the same 
level of politics and religion!

73 Joel W5ZN

On 2022-12-12 17:19, Chuck R. Korzendorfer wrote:

> I use crimp on rings & then use regular solder.  I have a stainless 
> steel radial plate with #10-24 SS bolts that the rings bolt to.
> If I remember correctly from our last meeting at W5ZN's QTH, Joel said 
> you only need silver solder if there are a lot of pine trees around.  
> Something about the acidity of the soil.  Silver solder is a real pain 
> as you need a different gas (Matt type I think).
> Chuck
> 
> Get Outlook for iOS [1]
> -------------------------
> 
> From: adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net <adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net> on 
> behalf of Jay Bromley <jayw5jay at cox.net>
> Sent: Monday, December 12, 2022 5:27:29 PM
> To: 'John McKinnie' <kt4ac at att.net>; 'ADXA List' <adxa at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [ADXA] Radial Connections
> 
> [External Email]
> 
> Hi John,
> 
> On some of my stuff while living in Fort Smith I crimped and used 
> silver bearing solder (2%)made by Kester.
> 
> Some like to use real silver solder, but you need a torch/flux for 
> that.  For ham radio I think using regular solder is A-OK.  On AM 
> broadcast they use a torch method with real expensive silver solder to 
> withstand heat from a lightning strike and longevity.  Regular solder 
> will turn to a white paste after a while and doesn't like heat from 
> lightning strike too much.  Still regular solder worked for me, but 
> only saw it for a few years after the sod pushed it down 3 inches into 
> the dirt.
> 
> With today's cad welding that technique may be history?  73 de 
> jay/w5jay..
> 
> From: adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net <adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On 
> Behalf Of John McKinnie
> Sent: Monday, December 12, 2022 5:10 PM
> To: ADXA List <adxa at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: [ADXA] Radial Connections
> 
> Any one have lessons learned on radial connections that they would be 
> willing to share? (i.e. solder, crimp, no connector but wrap end of 
> radial wire around bolt on radial plate, coating, etc)
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> John
> 
> KT4AC
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