Static on cobra 29lx

Yes wire will work, any conductor will for testing. Once you figure out the issue, then you can put straps in.

 

OK I could not post about this until now.

WHAT the hell are you talking about Rabbi, what do you think you guys are using for RF grounds - rubber bands?

 

Braided ground strap is what I use.

 

I lifted this from K0BG's website. It explains why braid is preferred over wire...

The first rule to follow about ground straps, is to keep them short! The rule of thumb is, 10 inches or less! And, there is a reason for why. A ground strap, like any piece of wire, has both inductive and capacitive reactances, which change with frequency. As the frequency increases, inductive reactance (in ohms) increases, but capacitive reactance (in ohms) decreases. When inductive reactance and capacitive reactance in any given piece of wire are equal, that wire will cease to be an RF ground.

Flat braided wire should be used for bonding, because RF flows on the surface rather than through the wire. Flat braid has more surface area for any given current carrying capacity, thus it provides less resistance to RF than an equivalent round wire. It also has more capacitive reactance which increases the self resonant point. Flat braid is also much more flexible and less likely to fail due to repeated flexing.

The shield from RG8 works well if the length of the strap is short (under 6 inches or so). Just take care when you strip off the outer jacket that you don't cut through the shield itself. Discard any that is corroded or discolored. Flatten it out by pulling it over a rounded surface. A large, round screwdriver shaft works well for this purpose.

If you're not into making your own, you might want to look at the various styles of strapping braid made by Electric Motion. That's their EM2080 product in the photo. The braid is preassembled with grommets every three inches or so. A 25 foot roll is about $50 which sounds expensive, but you don't have to solder it. Simply a sheet metal screw and star washer is all you need to make a good bond.

Good connections are also important to provide both a DC and RF ground path. Crimping and soldering (in that order) are mandatory. Crimping provides a good mechanical connection, and soldering a good electrical one. Good quality lugs and connectors are a must too, as the cheap ones do not solder well. Where applicable, connections should have heat shrink applied over them. Although not strictly necessary, it gives a finished and professional look to your installation.

 

Here's the link to the full page if you want even more detailed instructions.
http://www.k0bg.com/bonding.html

 

CW, I get that, Alan is right about it but here is the thing, as much as braided cable or wire is needed for a good RF ground, when trying to troubleshoot the issue of static, any wire will work, preferably stranded wire but anything works.

 

True enough, Ridgeline. I was just posting that to correct the statement that wire wouldn't provide an RF ground. It will, just not a very good one as compared to braid. But...for temporary troubleshooting, as you noted, it should work fine.

 

Crap CW, I forgot to add this -

Thanks for posting that info, it is good to see it again.

Sorry about forgetting to thank you.