[TowerTalk] Wire

[Rob Atkinson]

>  I use the same method, works very well. It's still nice to have clean wire at the splice.

Agree.

> Do you protect an outside split bolt splice from the weather?

Yes, I sometimes effect a seal on the s/b to prevent water from
freezing into it, but that's if the s/b is hanging horizontally.

>  Same here -- once I discovered them, I've done nothing but for my wire antennas. At some point, 10-15 years ago, they got a lot more expensive as the commodity traders started speculating on copper.

I recall finding mine at Home Depot and used them because they
appeared to be plated with something that looked like either copper or
bronze but I'll bet there are better sources and better made ones.  It
would be great to find them made entirely with a copper alloy instead
of plated but any hardware like that that's all cu costs a fortune as
you say.

Copperweld:  The old railroad stuff is probably good quality with a
heavy coating of copper.   That might be phosphor bronze.  Copperweld
is necessary for extremely long spans, for example large rhombics.
There's a technique for handling that wire not many have mastered due
to the fact that not many have W6AM style antenna farms.   When Don
Wallace had his rhombics he had so much tension on them they'd bend
the telephone poles.   Soft house wire would never hold up to that,
but for us mere mortals, it works okay.  Also, for long spans I might
not rely on split bolts for splices, instead following the lead of the
power line people and doing splices with cad welds.  Fortunately, I
don't have the room for a long span (I guess that's an upside).

73
Rob
K5UJ