[Antennas] Building antennas

[KD7JYK]

I always wondered why the majority of antennas use stainless teel as the
radiating element when so many radiomen claim it is a lousy performer.
Perhaps because in the past it was so difficult to work with?  Hard to
connect?  Nowadays you can solder stainless just as easily as copper, ss to
ss, ss to copper etc.  I am using many old stainless whips as dedicated
antennas by soldering directly into BNCs PL-259s etc.  Very solid and no
more RF resistance than copper, brass, steel, phosphor bronze or any other
readily available whip material at the local hardware store. Perhaps cost?
copper wire is relatively cheap and very easy to come by, imagine trying to
find a 5,000' roll of 8 AWG stainless wire! Worse yet, imagine trying to
solder it with a three ounce copper, tallow and 50/50.

Kurt

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Ross Technologies Signals Intelligence Division
Rosetta Proving Grounds