[TowerTalk] Ernesto ate my windom

[Martin AA6E]

I've been using Flexweave (not sure of gauge) for a couple of years on a 
dipole.  I had a failure after a wind storm where some tree branches had 
abraded the cable.  I think this is a failure mode to worry about.  If 
the wire rubs on anything, it will fail strand by strand until the whole 
thing gives out.  I replaced the failed section with Copperweld - better 
than disfiguring the tree.

As others have said, the stuff oxidizes pretty quickly.  I found it very 
difficult to solder after it had been out in the weather.  How do you 
strip the oxide off a zillion small strands? (Chemically, maybe?) Solid 
or conventional stranded wire is a lot easier to handle that way.

Given the oxidation, you have to wonder what the RF properties of 
flexweave are after weathering.  It's like Litz wire.

73 Martin AA6E

Gedas wrote:
> Hi Jim, I found your comments below interesting.  Do you really see an 
> advantage using solid wire over stranded for a given size?  I would have 
> guessed stranded was more stable and stronger and maybe I have had it wrong 
> all these years.
> Gedas
> 
> online image gallery at  http://gedas.cc
> e-mail address at  w8bya (at) mchsi (dot) com
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> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jim Brown" <jim at audiosystemsgroup.com>
> To: "Tower Talk List" <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Sent: Saturday, September 02, 2006 11:43 AM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Ernesto ate my windom
> 
> 
>> On Sat, 02 Sep 2006 11:21:01 -0400, Jim Jarvis wrote:
>>
>>> The #14 PE insulated superflex
>> What is "superflex?"  Do you mean "flexweave?" I tried some #12 on
>> several antennas, and it broke in less than a year on all of them.
>>
>> I'm a firm believer in POC -- plain ordinary copper -- that I buy
>> from my local hardware or electrical supply store. Antennas that
>> must withstand big stress are #10 solid, the rest are #12 solid.
>>
>> Another important thing I learned (the hard way) is to never put
>> solder where it will stress or move. Put the stress on unsoldered
>> lengths of wire, then loop the wire over to where you're going to
>> solder it (or otherwise secure the connection). Yes, it adds some
>> inductance. So what -- it simply adds to the length of the antenna,
>> so you cut it slightly shorter.
>>
>> If you want to be stealthier, use black insulation or bare copper.
>> Stranded wire corrodes faster. If you must use stranded wire, use
>> very good insulation on it, and pay careful attention both to the
>> stress you place on the ends and the protection of exposed ends from
>> corrosion.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Jim Brown K9YC
>>
>>
>>
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