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[TowerTalk] solid THHN vs jacketed copperweld

To: "towertalk@contesting.com" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] solid THHN vs jacketed copperweld
From: Donald Chester <k4kyv@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2022 18:07:44 +0000
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Steve Maki lists at oakcom.org Tue Sep 20 15:19:37 EDT 2022 wrote:

> I had sworn off copperweld many years ago after noting that the copper 
> plating did not last forever.

Was that real copperweld, or was it copper-plated steel with only a minuscule 
layer of copper deposited on the surface, like the stuff used for electric 
fence wire?

Real copperweld has a thick copper jacket that is practically indestructible.  
I use #10, salvaged from an abandoned railway telegraph line of yesteryear, 
scored free for the taking many decades ago.  You can beat it with a hammer or 
leave it buried in the soil (as ground radials) for years and the jacket won't 
come off unless it's deliberately removed with a file or grinding wheel. 

That copper-plated junk begins to rust through in only a couple of years.  The 
copper is so thin that it probably has negligible benefit  from the skin 
effect; you are effectively using plain old steel wire.

Don k4kyv




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