[OFARC] Antenna repairs

[ralph phillips]

I agree with your comments.  It is good for quick fixes.  I do appreciate the info on better materials and will get some soon.
.

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________________________________
From: Matt P <mgpaulonis at gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, September 13, 2021 8:47:04 PM
To: ralph phillips <ke5hdf at sbcglobal.net>
Cc: swel29ers at groups.io <swel29ers at groups.io>; ofarc <ofarc at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [OFARC] Antenna repairs

Ralph,

The liquid electrical tape is good for limited situations however can wear off or crack in the sun and weather eventually letting in moisture. Better options that are more durable and keep your connectors in like-new condition would be rubber tape (3M type 130C, good but expensive), or even better self-amalgamating tape such as CO-AX seal  or readily available 3M type 2228.

All of these tapes have to be stretched to bond and to each other and form a virtually solid mass forming a water-tight seal. Don't ever use Type 33, 88, or other vinyl tapes to try and seal connections; these will not give a water-tight seal no matter how much you use and are really only used for color coding wires or other temporarily "fixes".

73,
Matt
W2NS

On Mon, Sep 13, 2021, 18:46 ralph phillips <ke5hdf at sbcglobal.net<mailto:ke5hdf at sbcglobal.net>> wrote:
My 2m antenna has been doing really well but started acting erratic this morning.  SWR started at at 1.8 and finished at 4.5!

Not good when a storm is coming.  I have an antenna for 440mhz and one for 2m fed with a single coax and then a tee with jumpers the antenna.  Took it all apart, liberal use of contact cleaner, put back together and heavy coating of liquid tape.  Used a hair dryer to help it set.
SWR now 1.2

LESSON ..... Connections can work well in dry weather but leak when it rains.  Check the seals periodically

Ke5hdf
Ralph

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