‰ NOW 40 WPM ‰ TEXT IS FROM MARCH 2014 QST PAGE 52 ‰ HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO PERFORM UNANTICIPATED ARC WELDING, ALTHOUGH BURNS TEND TO BE LESS PERMANENT THAN ELECTROCUTIONS. I DO RUN MY 500 W LINEAR ON 240 V AC, BUT MANY CAN WORK FROM 120 V. BE CAREFUL TO CHECK THE CURRENT REQUIREMENTS, THOUGH MANY WILL TAKE UP MOST OF THE USUAL 15 A CIRCUIT, SO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE WILL BE SHARING THE AVAILABLE 15 A CIRCUIT, AND HOW MUCH IT WILL DRAW. HAVING A DEDICATED CIRCUIT FOR THE AMPLIFIER IS A GREAT IDEA, IF IT CAN BE ARRANGED. RE OCCASION IN WHICH A BNC CONNECTOR PAIR ON AN EXTENSION OF MY DEPTH SOUNDER TRANSDUCER CABLE NEAR THE BILGE, WHERE SALTWATER ACCUMULATES, HAD TO BE REPLACED. IVE AVOIDED ANY RECURRENCES OF THAT BY THOROUGHLY TAPING THE NEW CONNECTORS WITH GOOD QUALITY PLASTIC ELECTRICAL TAPE. IF THE CONNECTORS ARE PROPERLY CONNECTED, I DONT FIND MUCH CAN GET INTO THE METAL TO METAL CONNECTIONS. THE ONE PRECAUTION I DO TAKE IS THAT WHEN I BUTTON UP THE BOAT FOR IN WATER WINTER STORAGE, I REMOVE THE ELECTRONICS INCLUDING HF AND VHF HAM RADIOS FROM THE CRAFT AND PUT THE BOAT SIDE CONNECTORS IN PLASTIC SANDWICH BAGS SEALED WITH RUBBER BANDS TO KEEP SALTY AIR OUT. AN ALTERNATIVE IS TO SACRIFICE AN UNUSED MATING CONNECTOR ALTHOUGH SOME TYPES ARE HARD TO FIND. MANY OF THESE COAX, POWER, AND SIGNAL CONNECTIONS HAVE BEEN UNCHANGED IN THE 30 YEARS SINCE THIS BOAT WAS NEW. SO, WHILE I CANT SAY THEY WILL LAST FOREVER, I CAN SAY THEY WILL KEEP GOING FOR A LONG TIME. I ALWAYS USE CONDUCTIVE GREASE ON SLIDING TUBING CONNECTIONS THAT ARE PART OF ANTENNAS. I EXPECT THAT THE POINTS OF CONTACT UNDER THE CLAMPS WOULD STAY CONNECTED EVEN WITHOUT SUCH GREASE, HOWEVER, THE GREASE MAKES IT THE DOCTOR IS IN JOEL R. HALLAS, W1ZR, W1ZR ARRL. ORG TO GREASE OR NOT TO GREASE THAT IS THE QUESTION. Q IN CONSIDERING THE CONNECTIVITY WITHIN MY FIXED, PORTABLE, AND MOBILE STATIONS, I FIND A WIDE VARIETY OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AC AND DC POWER, TRANSMISSION LINE TERMINATIONS, CONTROL CABLES, ANTENNA JOINTS, AND GROUND CONNECTIONS, TO NAME A FEW. I AM AWARE OF THREE TREATMENT OPTIONS LEAVING THE CONNECTIONS DRY, COATING THE CONNECTION SURFACES WITH CONDUCTIVE GREASE, OR USING NON CONDUCTIVE GREASE OFTEN ON VEHICLE BATTERY TERMINALS. ARE THERE RULES ABOUT THE BEST PRACTICE? A THE FIRST RULE, IN MY OPINION, IS TO SEEK GUIDANCE FROM THE MANUFACTURER OF THE COMMERCIAL EQUIPMENT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CONNECTION. IF THERE IS NO INFORMATION IN THE SUPPLIED DOCUMENTATION, AN E MAIL TO EACH CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS NOT OUT OF ORDER. IN THE ABSENCE OF SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS, I DOUBT THAT WE CAN BOIL THIS DOWN TO A FEW SIMPLE RULES. HOWEVER, I AM HAPPY TO SHARE MY PERSONAL OPINIONS AND AN INDICATION OF MY PRACTICES. FIRST, CONDUCTIVE GREASE SHOULD NEVER BE ACROSS, NOR EVEN NEAR, ANY INSULATION BETWEEN CONNECTIONS THATS AN INVITATION FOR A SHORT OR UNDESIRED LEAKAGE. ALL OF MY INDOOR CONNECTIONS ARE DRY, AND THAT WORKS WELL, IN MY EXPERIENCE, UNLESS IT IS A VERY HUMID OR SALT AIR ENVIRONMENT. EVEN ON MY SALTWATER SAILBOAT, I JUST USE DRY CONNECTIONS. I DID HAVE AN ‰ END OF 40 WPM TEXT ‰ QST DE W1AW ƒ