[Elecraft] Antenna Question

[Clay Autery]

All things being equal... IF you are using LMR-400 as the main feedline,
there is NO REASON to use a different diameter at the rotator...

I was simply responding to what the OP said were the conditions... NOT
the "ideal"...

Bottom line... IF you engineer and install things properly, the fewer
breaks in the feedline, the better...

Fail to see why an antenna failure or swap would require soldering "up
the tower"... unless for some reason you change feedline to antenna
connector type....  not likely...  or you compromised a connector
termination or failed to weather protect properly....  In either case,
your odds of doing one of those things increase with every additional
connector you add to the line.

BTW, using the -DB suffix (if available) for any Times cable will
radically reduce the chances of moisture ingress on the feedline...

______________________
Clay Autery, KY5G
MONTAC Enterprises
(318) 518-1389

On 10/10/2016 6:49 PM, Josh Fiden wrote:
> With an unbroken feedline, a failure or antenna swap can require
> soldering connectors up the tower. Not fun. If you're concerned about
> the additional loss of a barrel connector at 50MHz, you should be
> using feedline with lower loss than LMR400 up the tower. Wrap the
> barrel connection with good quality 3m vinyl tape and paint over with
> Scotchkote to keep water out.
>
> YMMV!
>
> 73,
> Josh W6XU
>
> On 10/10/2016 3:44 PM, Clay Autery wrote:
>> I believe the use of a single
>> unbroken feedline from the antenna to the shack (when possible) trumps
>> the inconvenience of properly engineering an install that does NOT put
>> unnecessary repetitive bending moments on the line.
>