Re: RF conductor materials (fwd)

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: RF conductor materials (fwd)
From: Tesla List <mod1-at-pupman-dot-com>
Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 10:33:24 -0600 (MDT)
Approved: mod1-at-pupman-dot-com



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 11:20:16 EDT
From: Homer Lea <HomerLea-at-aol-dot-com>
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: RF conductor materials (fwd)

In a message dated 4/29/98 9:28:08 PM Pacific Daylight Time, tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
writes:

>   Aluminum should be avoided since the oxides
>  are so aggressive and thick.  Of course, everybody uses it all the
I dont think an oxide coat by itself is a problem except at a connection.
After all the wire used for everything except the primary has a non-conducting
coating (insulation). Litz wire has insulation up the kazoo. Aluminum is a
lousy conductor compared to copper and we want the least ohms possible. Al
can't be purified as easily as copper and is subject to pitting, as a result,
when it oxidizes leaving a rough conduction surface (bad for RF). Since I am a
chemist and not an electronics engineer I expect to hear some complaints about
my theories. Speaking of gold plating, in my teenage years I used to dissolve
1 1/2 x 3" gold plated waveguides in nitric acid to recover the gold (sold it
for $35/oz).

jim heagy