[TowerTalk] Cordless solder irons

[Jim Thomson]

IF the tower is behind your home..running an extension cord up to the top is no big deal.  A 40 watt weller might lose heat fast 
in a breeze, but a 100-150w .375 inch chisel tip might fair better.. a lot better. The .375 inch solid tip is fairly long overall, like
3 inchs long, with half of it embedded into the iron.  The massive tip will store a lot of heat.   Plan B would be to put some tarp up
there..and get under it..and outa the wind.  Easier said than done.  Plan C is to wait till the wind dies down.  The even bigger irons use
a .5 inch diam tip.   I have used my 100w outside in the cold, at base of tower.... but with no wind.  A 2 stroke gas gen set at the top of the
tower would work too....but with my luck, Id either end up deaf, or set my self on fire.   You wont get much V drop on a heavy duty extension cord.

Jim  VE7RF   


From: Big Don 
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2014 7:25 AM
To: Jim Thomson 
Cc: towertalk at contesting.com 
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Cordless solder irons

Soldering up a tower is a *LOT* different than in your shop.  Any breeze at all just kills the heat.  This is based on many battle-scarred years keeping quads happy using a propane torch...( hard to keep lit ...and up 50-100 feet in the air is no place to set yourself on fire  -- Don't Ask...)  If you want to do much with a soldering iron, you will need some Serious Juice. 

Harbor Freight Tools currently has on sale a 700-watt 2-cycle portable generator, weighs 38 pounds (no worse than, e.g., a prop pitch).  Advertised to run 5 hrs at 50% duty, for $99.00 right now.. Compact, has a nice handle on top, just tie a rope and pull it up when you're ready to go....

73,  Don  N7EF


On Wed, Nov 19, 2014 at 6:43 AM, Jim Thomson <jim.thom at telus.net> wrote:

  Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 19:10:23 -0800
  From: "Don " <w7wll at arrl.net>
  To: "Towertalk" <towertalk at contesting.com>
  Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Some advice about crimp ;type coax connectors

  Which brings a question to mind. Why is there not available for sale a
  decent battery powered soldering iron.[ -SNIP- ]
  Anyone have information on such a tool for use whilst up in the air??

  Don W7WLL