[TenTec] Soldering stuff outside

[Ken Burchfield]

Here is a nice tip that I use some times work good for me.
73 Ken...thanks to:GM3UHT

 SOLDERING OUTSIDE

When  soldering  aerial wires outside clean and make the joint in your usual
way.  Wrap  multi-cored solder around the joint then wrap kitchen foil over
the  joint.(one  thickness  is  enough or it slows the heat transfer).Apply
heat  and you get a perfect soldered joint. If the wires are thin and it is
a  calm  day  you may find a cigarette lighter will provide enough heat but
for thicker wires or a cold windy day you will need a small blow torch.
You  can  tell  when the solders runs because the flux burns with an orange
flame as the gases come out of the tinfoil.

GM3UHT

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--- On Tue, 4/6/10, Rob Atkinson <ranchorobbo at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Rob Atkinson <ranchorobbo at gmail.com>
Subject: [TenTec] Soldering stuff outside
To: tentec at contesting.com
Date: Tuesday, April 6, 2010, 10:52 AM

Wind is a problem.  Sometimes it is unavoidable like when reparing
wire antenna up on ladder or roof and wind shelter is impossibly
awkward to use.
Usually this is also a location where electric iron can't be used or
wind sinks too much heat.  use torch but vy important--make sure
surfaces are clean copper and apply flux liberally then use only
silver bearing solder with no lead.

Always use flux and silver solder outdoors.  Lead will corrode and
turn to powder.

Some coax dielectric handles heat better than others.  RG213 is good
for handling heat.  Center does not migrate as rapidly as center in
foam.

Best thing to do is use Andrew Heliax outside where possible and
Andrew connectors because you only have to solder center pin; shield
of connector compresses against corrugated copper heliax shield. and O
ring makes it weather proof.  PL259 not wx proof.  Then, if you must,
use short RG213 jumpers for last few feet on each end and solder them
indoors and work out way to shelter them outside.  For drops from
dipole feedpoints you can use 3/8" heliax; it is surprisingly light
weight, but better is ladder line.   Soldering wire outside a piece of
cake.   Clean the surfaces, pile on the flux, heat it with torch and
the silver solder flows.

73

rob
k5uj