Brian: The coil is merely used to shorten the overall antenna length for what is usually a 1/4 wave calculated to just below the mid range frequency that it is to be used for. Its been a lot of years, but the antenna reflectors are actually attached to the coax braid for grounding at the base. That would explain a Yagi configuration. No reflectors if just a 1/4 wave whip. Chief
soldering iron
- Thread starter gettinthere
- Start date
Everything most people think about soldering irons is wrong. Getting a big hot high powered iron is ALWAYS going to be the best. The only limitation will be if the tip is too large to fit in the space of what you need to solder. Here is why. Heat takes time to travel across the metal surface you are trying to solder. If the heat supply is infinitely hot, you can get the piece hot enough to melt what you need to solder before the heat has time to travel to where it will damage other components. Use a hot iron and get in and our fast. Too low of a temperature will cause you to sit on the part too long, the heat will travel up the wire and ruin the insulation or the component you are trying to solder.
One problem you will have with soldering on your boat is solder does not stick to corroded wires. heat does not conduct to corroded wires. Sometimes using acid will help clean the surface to make the solder stick to the wire. Also remember solder travels towards the heat. Put the source of the heat where you want to solder to flow to. If you put the solder on the opposite side of the part from the iron, this will cause the solder to flow all the way through multiple strands. You may have to put a little solder at the heat source to get the heat to conduct to the wire, but you should feed the solder form the opposite end.
Soldering is required for what I do for a living. I solder everything from large flat stainless steel foils to surface mount microprocessors.
One problem you will have with soldering on your boat is solder does not stick to corroded wires. heat does not conduct to corroded wires. Sometimes using acid will help clean the surface to make the solder stick to the wire. Also remember solder travels towards the heat. Put the source of the heat where you want to solder to flow to. If you put the solder on the opposite side of the part from the iron, this will cause the solder to flow all the way through multiple strands. You may have to put a little solder at the heat source to get the heat to conduct to the wire, but you should feed the solder form the opposite end.
Soldering is required for what I do for a living. I solder everything from large flat stainless steel foils to surface mount microprocessors.
All this healthy discussion about soldering is great. I was the Commanding Generals (Gen. Albright) senior electronic maint. officer for the World Wide Communications command at Ft. Huachuca AZ. High vehicle communications failure rates popped up on my worldwide signal corp reports and I verbally referred it to the General. He said "what's causing it". I said it was mostly due to cold soldering and we needed to get the Signal School to reinstate solder training for our techs. He told me to write him a directive for his signature and to also get some tech teams sent out all over the Army to train our people in the field. I also selected the Pace soldering kits to be sent out to the whole Army. The teams,kits, and the school compliance fixed our problem! This is a great example of how important soldering is!
My best, Chief (Gen. Albright started out his career as an E5 Sgt and rose to a 2 star!)
Happy 4th of July sailors!
PS: Brian D: Just to inform, leaving for Fairbanks Ak for a 30 day vacation today!
My best, Chief (Gen. Albright started out his career as an E5 Sgt and rose to a 2 star!)
Happy 4th of July sailors!
PS: Brian D: Just to inform, leaving for Fairbanks Ak for a 30 day vacation today!
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Often people don't keep the tip clean which results in long heating times and other problems....
" Keep the tip clean while you work. Have a damp sponge handy to occasionally wipe your tip on while soldering to remove residues that collect. A properly cleaned tip is bright and shiny. Keeping the tip clean is important but constantly wiping it on a wet sponge can cause early tip failure. Excessive wiping causes the tip temperature to repeatedly rise and fall (cycle) and the different metal layers in the tip to repeatedly expand and contract. This leads to metal fatigue and ultimately tip failure where the copper core bubbles out. There are brass wool coils that are used like a sponge to wipe the tip off on as you solder and will not cool the tip."
from here: http://www.inlandcraft.com/uguides/tipcare.htm
I always have a wet sponge handy and use it when needed,
Sumner
=========================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
" Keep the tip clean while you work. Have a damp sponge handy to occasionally wipe your tip on while soldering to remove residues that collect. A properly cleaned tip is bright and shiny. Keeping the tip clean is important but constantly wiping it on a wet sponge can cause early tip failure. Excessive wiping causes the tip temperature to repeatedly rise and fall (cycle) and the different metal layers in the tip to repeatedly expand and contract. This leads to metal fatigue and ultimately tip failure where the copper core bubbles out. There are brass wool coils that are used like a sponge to wipe the tip off on as you solder and will not cool the tip."
from here: http://www.inlandcraft.com/uguides/tipcare.htm
I always have a wet sponge handy and use it when needed,
Sumner
=========================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
The antenna is a Metz with some kind of base thingy! Does it create the continuity?
I have noticed I am loosing range for AIS hits on my chartplotter. The radio is the SH Matrix GX2150 that has AIS receive built in. And yes, I have checked the range setting, it is set to max, 30 miles.
I have noticed I am loosing range for AIS hits on my chartplotter. The radio is the SH Matrix GX2150 that has AIS receive built in. And yes, I have checked the range setting, it is set to max, 30 miles.