Topband: Soldering radials?

[Wes Attaway (N5WA)]

In past years (when I had a 80/160 vertical, I used normal 60/40 solder to
solder radials to some 2"-wide copper strap.  Then I just painted over the
joints with black "tree paint" that I got from Home Depot.  All joints were
still in good shape when I cut everything apart and moved about 10-years
ago.  I still have some to the copper strap rolled up in my current workshop
and the ends of the radial wires are still there, nice and tight.

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Wes Attaway (N5WA)
(318) 393-3289 - Shreveport, LA
Computer/Cellphone Forensics
AttawayForensics.com
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-----Original Message-----
From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Richard
(Rick) Karlquist
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2016 10:53 AM
To: Topband at contesting.com
Subject: Topband: Soldering radials?

I'd like to get the latest thinking from the group
on soldering radials.  What I currently thinking
is as follows:

SOLDER SELECTION:

1.  Tin lead doesn't hold up in the weather.

2.  "Stay Brite" 3% silver solder (97% tin,
no lead) is known to work well, but is expensive,
and has a considerably higher melting point
than 63/37.

3.  Lead free plumber's solder obviously works
in water pipes, but does it hold up outdoors
in the rain?  What is the melting point?

FLUX SELECTION:

1.  Pure rosin.  Hardest to work with, but minimum
corrosion issues.

2.  Activated rosin.  Easier to work with.  What
corrosion issues are there?

3.  Acid core plumber's flux.  Very easy to work
with, very corrosive.  Does this hold up in the
rain, etc?

(I remember the dire warnings that Heathkit manuals
had about not using acid core solder, but I
guess that doesn't apply to radials.)

CRIMPING?

Has anyone tried crimping as an alternative to solder?

Rick
N6RK
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