Topband: Soldering in the wild!

[Bill Wichers]

Weller's butane soldering iron works really well. It's not a particularly cheap unit but it should last you a long time (the butane is refillable).

For weatherproofing, I use butyl rubber splicing "tape" (it doesn't have adhesive). Stretch it about 30-50 percent while applying it as a spiral over the exposed solder area and it will stick to itself and make a good seal. You then need to cover it with a layer of electrical tape to keep it in place over time. Splices made this way can last a long time. I suspect you could use coax-seal in place of the butyl tape although it will be messier to work with.

I got some of the new(ish) silicone splicing tape at dayton this year to try for outdoor splices. It seems somewhat similar to the butyl tape in terms of how it needs to be applied, but the manufacturer claims it is a one-step deal (no outer layer of electrical tape needed). I haven't tried it yet myself but it might be worth a look if you want to give it a shot.

-Bill

[Sent using Blackberry Messaging]

----- Original Message -----
From: topband-bounces at contesting.com <topband-bounces at contesting.com>
To: topband <topband at contesting.com>
Sent: Sat Aug 04 13:22:42 2012
Subject: Topband: Soldering in the wild!

After suffering through our infamous "derecho" here in Virginia, I find
that I've got a* lot* of repair work to do on my beverages.  Most of the
breaks are in 450 ohm window line, located in remote areas and will require
soldering.  My "non-AC electric" soldering equipment seems to have been
lost in the last move and I need to outfit myself with a "wireless"
soldering device!  I would be interested in what you use and if you are
satisfied with the results.  Thanks.

73,

-- 
Ken - K4XL
BoatAnchor Manual Archive
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