I seem to swim upstream an awful lot: I watched Mike Gibson,
KH6ND, use a Radio Shack soldering iron (changed the tip out
for one of the heavier ones so that the amount of heat sinking
ability was greater) at the 120 foot level on a day when the
wind chill was 6 (that's six) degrees. He was soldering the
spade lugs on my rotor cable.
It was so cold that he climbed down at one point, found a
large cardboard box, cut it so that it made a large flat
surface that could be bent to a desired configuration, took
it back up and used that as a personal wind protector.
Doubtless it also served to keep the wind off the butane
soldering iron tip, as well.
I am not denigrating the other soldering irons/pencils that
some of the towertalk reflectees are boosting. I am simply
saying that I have had good experience with the Radio Shack
model. Of course, if you insist on trying to use the original
tip (linear tapered to a very fine, small tip designed for small
printed circuit board construction) then I could certainly
understand your comments. The one I use has successfully
transferred enough heat to be able to properly install coax
connectors on coax in cold weather. I really like mine. The
Radio Shack butane soldering iron has performed yeoman service
for me.
So there! Take that! In your face! <<Grin>>
Flame suit on.
Rod, N5HV
w5hvv@aeneas.net
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