[Antennas] Ideas on Stripping Coax Shield??

Sat Feb 12 20:07:18 EST 2005

I have used the method advised today by CBoone at earthlink.net, that's how
my Elmer taught me back in 1956. But I had some double braid coax 1/2 inch
and that wasn't such a good way for me to do it with that double braid 
...sooo, maybe try this, too....
It works if you have the same little bit of time and patience.
Like on RG-8, I use a pick of some kind (acually, an old icepick), remove
the outer insulation as far as necessary, and start at that cut-end and
just gently push/wiggle about 2 or 3 braids apart/open with the tip, then
another 2 or 3 in the same line, and etc., until it is unweaved as far as
I have planned. I experience very little in the way of breakage or
hassle...then the separate strands can be twisted, soldered, and whatever.
I wouldn't want to do it for a foot, but it works fine for me for a few
inches, maybe up to 4 or 5 inches.
Another way to skin this cat,... is to carefully cut most of the braid off
with the tips of your small, sharp, diagonal cutters, leaving about 1/2
inch of braid uncovered by the outer insulation. Using the braid which you
have just cut off (and slipped off) the inner insulation, wrap a single
flattened turn of it around what's still exposed on your usable coax end.
Now carefully solder the two with just the right temperature so as to
minimize melting the inner insulation. The resultant braid is an inch or
so shorter, but one could simply start an inch or so further into the
cable, and have the right length of braid for connecting to whatever.
There's another variation or two I know if these are unworkable for you.
David
w7dbh