[TowerTalk] Soldering flex-weave

[WA3GIN]

If my memory serves me correctly FLEX-weave came out due to a demand for 
temporary HF wire antennas needed for Field Day, Civil Defense exercises, 
etc. where HF dipoles were used for a few hours or days and then packed up 
for the next event or exercise. I don't think it was ever intended for 
semi-perminent or perminent installations other than in protected areas like 
attics, etc.

It attracked a lot of attention because it was easy to pack-up and 
re-deploy, unlike solid copper or stranded copper wire which doesn't re-pack 
nearly as easily.  Our club loved the flex stuff when it came out...made 
Field Day set-up a breeze.

For perminent installations we use a wire product from RF Connections in 
Rockville, Md. It comes in 14 and 12 guage stranded hard copper with a tuff 
PVC coating. Designed to last a long long time.

73,
dave
wa3gin
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>>> The problem is that the copper is
>>> weathered pretty well by now, and it can't be soldered as it is...
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Jim Brown K9YC
>>
> Jim -
>
> I would tend to agree with you now, but my antennas are already up, and
> have been for about 3 years now.  I only had one failure - that was due
> to abrasion against a tree branch.  Kinks (they do occur!) and abrasion
> are death to flexweave.
>
> 73 Martin AA6E
> _______________________________________________
>
>