[TowerTalk] Soldering flex-weave

[Jim Brown]

On Fri, 28 Dec 2007 16:07:02 -0500, Martin Ewing AA6E wrote:

>The problem is that the copper is 
>weathered pretty well by now, and it can't be soldered as it is. 

Flexweave has more serious problems than solderability after aging. 
It doesn't age well at all -- that corrosion you've experienced also 
weakens the copper, and eventually it will wear and break, and your 
antenna will fall. I first used FlexWeave about four years ago. The 
first antenna lasted under a year. Every antenna I built with it has 
broken. Each time, I've had to put major effort (and in two cases, 
major dollars) into replacing them. 

Flexweave is a DISASTER READY TO HAPPEN for any antenna with 
signficant mechanical stress. It SEEMS like a good idea, but it 
isn't. Stick to POC (plain ordinary copper) from your local hardware 
store. THHN makes great antenna wire. 

73,

Jim Brown K9YC