[Hallicrafters] Antenna info ?

[w5pdw at juno.com]

Hi guys and gals
I agree, scotch brite will work fine. Before you put the antenna back
together, coat all the joints with Penetrox. This will help keep moisture
out of the joints, greatly improve the electrical connection and
virtually eliminate corrosion. I carried a 4BTV with me while I was
working in the oil patch. Put it on every kind of boat, barge and
platform. To further protect the antenna from the constant salt water
drenchings, I wrapped all the joints with Scotch #130 rubber tape and
then scotch electrical on top of that, then secured with some small tie
wraps.
Whenever I would take the antenna down for the trip home, all joints
still like new out of the box.
I would suspect that the antennas  improvement after a rain has to do
with better ground conductivity.
If you want your vertical to really work good, put it on a 200' steel
boat and go about 125 miles offshore.
73
John, W5PDW

On Wed, 27 Feb 2002 16:18:58 -0500 Rick Smedberg <smedberg at t-one.net>
writes:
> Dear Phil
> I also have a 6btv and my antenna has done the same thing. Except on
> rainy days then it loads good. I suspect that the joints have become
> corroded. I intend to take it apart this summer and polish all the
> connections between the sections. Use very fine sand paper or steel
> wool. I should replace the coax because it may have water in by now.
> Let us know what "you" find is your problem. There are a lot of 
> those
> antennas in use. You can fudge the tuning by moving the traps a 
> little
> bit because the company told me so.
> 73 rick
> wa8ylz
> 
> 
> Phil Atchley wrote:
> > 
> > Hello
> > This is indirectly related to Hallicrafters as this antenna IS 
> used for
> > receiving on the 5R10A and (future) SX-71.  I don't belong to the 
> antenna
> > reflector and I figure there are some good gurus on this list.
> > 
> > I have a Hustler 6BTV vertical that was put up a little over 2 
> years ago and
> > performed flawlessly for a couple years.  (it is over  > 1000 
> Sq/ft of
> > sheetmetal roof/awning.)  The unit was guyed (per Hustlers 
> instructions) at
> > the 20M trap, especially as we get some good winds here.  I used 
> some Nylon
> > Twine as the guys, it is still holding well so it didn't "sun 
> rot".
> > 
> > It has since developed problems, high SWR's Especially on bands 
> below 20M
> > and I suspect that the outer sleeve on the 20M trap 'may' have 
> slipped down
> > some from the constant downward  pressure of the guys, detuning 
> the trap.
> > (the various tubing sections were all secured against slipping by 
> setscrews
> > after it was tuned).  Does this sound feasable?  While up there I 
> intend to
> > replace all the coax from antenna to the antenna switch in the 
> shack as
> > insurance.  (I use RG8X as I don't run any 'power' over about 100W 
> maximum).
> > I want to do EVERYTHING in one trip to the roof as I don't want to 
> walk on
> > the mobile roof more than needed.  My wife says she can tell 
> exactly where I
> > am by looking at the ceiling  sag 8^(
> > 
> > My present (best) SWR's are
> > 
> > 29.7   2.0 (10M is about as it was, I didn't wish to cut tubing)
> > 28.0   1.3
> > 21.3   2.0 (never had a really good SWR but was much better)
> > 14.35 1.8
> > 14.1   1.4   (Was tuned to Phone band)
> > 10.15 2.0   (Was 1.5 at 10.1MHz)
> > 10.0   1.2
> > 7.1     2.0   (was tuned to 7050)
> > 6.97   1.3
> > 3.67   2.4   (was 1.4 at 3.908 net freq)
> > 
> > If the trap is detuned, any hints on getting that sleeve in the 
> right spot
> > again?  I don't have a grid dip meter.  Also, I never had to tune 
> a trap
> > before, how critical are these Hustler traps.  Any ideas?
> > 
> > 73 de Phil  KO6BB
> > Loving home provided for wayward Boatanchor Receivers
> > ko6bb at elite.net
> > Merced, Central California
> > 37.18N 120.29W CM97sh
> 
> -- 
> Rick Smedberg WA8YLZ
> P.O. Box 148 Custer, MI 49405
> smedberg at t-one.net
> http://www.t-one.net/~smedberg
> Grid Square EN63vw
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