Topband: [TowerTalk] Radial Plate Designs

[Paul Christensen]

>"Those Hammy Hambone radial plates I have seen advertised are considerably
more expensive than a handful of silver brazing rods and a Mapp gas outfit."

Don,

All good points.  A few weeks back, there was a discussion here about the 
virtues of using MAPP gas or acetylene with silver brazing rods.  I agree 
that the currently available radial plates are inferior to a ring composed 
of brazed silver-solder connections.

However, if a plate is used, a two-hole lug offers many mechanical and 
electrical advantages over the single hole type, but: (1) the 2-hole lug 
cost is a significant limiting factor; and (2) no matter how good the bolted 
connection, over time it will be inferior to a brazed bond.   Between the 
cost of a new plate design and say...a bag of 100 2-hole lugs, bolts, 
washers, and nuts, the cost will easily exceed a brazed grounding system of 
the type you discussed.

Paul, W9AC