Re: [IRCA] [HCDX] Repairing the beverage

["Jim Barrett" <jbarrett@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Patrick,

If you need to solder wire in cold weather, use a propane torch. A torch is 
best suited to uninsulated stranded copper wire, as the heat will cause the 
insulation on typical "zip cord" extension wire to melt back on either side 
of the spice - but it will deliver enough heat to make a perfect solder 
joint in just seconds - even if the ambient temps are quite cold. Use rather 
heavy gauge rosin-core solder, and set the flame as low as possible. It's 
best to do it when the winds are calm.

I constructed a 300-foot horizontal loop that had six spices - all of which 
were soldered in this fashion. It has held up perfectly through 4 
northeastern winters.

Jim Barrett

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Patrick Martin" <mwdxer@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <am@xxxxxxxxxxx>; <hard-core-dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2008 15:00
Subject: [HCDX] Repairing the beverage


> Greetngs,
>
> After our storms this Winter, especially the big one in early December,
> the Eastern beverage got busted up and it took me several weeks to
> finally get it back up. It was too cold and wet to solder the splices so
> I just twisted the splices and taped then up for the time being. I got
> out yesterday and soldered two splices, as we were up into the 50s F, so
> my little butane soldering pencil worked okey, but there was a wind, so
> keeping it lit was not always easy. I was thinking of buying another 250
> feet of outdoor extention cord to give me 500 feet total. With that, I
> would have enough to reach the other splices that aren't soldered on the
> beverage. I have a Radio Shack soldering gun (100/140 watts). Would the
> soldering gun work running it through that much extention cord? If so,
> would it harm the transformer in the gun? I fiqure a A/C soldering
> pencil would not be harmed as there is no tranformer, but I don't have
> A/C soldering pencil that has much wattage. The gun would work better.
> With a pencil, if the voltage dropped too low the pencil would not get
> hot enough, but with the transforer in the gun, I have no clue. Does
> anyone know? If running 500 feet of extention cord would work, I will go
> buy another 250 feet. I have run the soldering gun through 200 feet of
> cord and that worked ok.   I also have a deep cycle 12V battery I could
> use with an 120v inverter, but thing weighs 70 pounds and not that easy
> to carry.  Any help would be appreciated.
> Thanks.
>
> 73,
>
> Patrick
>
> Patrick Martin
> KAVT Reception Manager
>
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