Soldering antenna wire was [Elecraft] Crimped connectors

[Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy]

Hi David,

Let me play the Devil's Advocate and offer a thought about soldering antenna 
wire. Seems to me that the practice of soldering the wire loops at the end 
insulators of a wire antenna, as suggested in the ARRL Antenna Handbook for 
example, could result in the wire breaking prematurely at that point when 
stressed by high wind. FWIW I use stranded Flexweave but do not solder the 
end 'loops' which are secured by Ty-Wraps, with the end of the wire folded 
over the first Ty-Wrap installed to prevent 'creep'. The Ty-Wraps and wire 
loops are covered by a good dose of Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly) to keep out 
moisture and to keep the wire clean, then covered by black tape to stop rain 
washing away the Vaseline and perhaps provide a small amount of strain 
relief. No breakage problems during the past 9 years in spite of some very 
high winds which have taken down nearby tall pines, one of which fell across 
an antenna blowing its catenary counterweight 'fuses' allowing that antenna 
to fall under the tree, but otherwise undamaged.

73,
Geoff
GM4ESD


David Cutter G3UNA wrote:

> Hi Tom
>
> You make a good point.  I say offer both and let the market decide.
>
> David
> G3UNA