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Re: Topband: Radial Plate Designs

To: "topBand List" <topband@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: Radial Plate Designs
From: "Tom W8JI" <w8ji@w8ji.com>
Reply-to: Tom W8JI <w8ji@w8ji.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2015 11:32:18 -0500
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
A different idea than lug connections, is to use load-center style ground
bars bolted to the metal plate.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Square-D-23-Terminal-Load-Center-Ground-Bar-Kit-PK23GTACP/100129430

I fully agree this is not up to Bellcore grounding standards. But seems
much more ham-amenable, especially for those of us who unroll many of our
random-gauge radial wires across driveways and lawns on contest weekends
and hook up in cold weather - the clamp screws in the ground bars are
easily worked with a screwdriver in a gloved hand and accomodate any
random-sized-style conductor.

At little verticals no one gets close to, I just twist my wires in a "coherent lump", flux it with liquid flux, and flood the twisted area with solder. If I get really sophisticated, I slide a piece of copper pipe over the twisted area, crimp it, and flood the whole inside with solder.

At towers, where people have to walk over the radials and a bunch of wires are a PITA, I solder to a square made from copper flashing.
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