One thing that I found with mine when I was initially installing it:
After I made an adjustment of the tubing length, when I rsaised it back
vertically, the tubing sections would slide from the weight of the traps
and/or tubing up higher.
I finally decided to use self tapping screws for each joint in addition to
the hose clamps. Once I used screws to keep the sections from sliding it was
OK.
The sliding threw the tuning off each time. I used Penetrox on the aluminum
joints and Penetrox is a grease imbedded with aluminum dust.
Best Regards
Dan Schaaf
K3ZXL www.k3zxl.com "In the Beginning, there was Spark Gap"
===============================
NOBSKA
www.nobska.net
===============================
Cape Cod Instruments
www.oceanbiz.net
===============================
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Baker" <k7dd@cox.net>
To: "'Tower and HF antenna construction topics.'" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 12:11 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Hustler 5BTV Problem and their servicing.
> This can be a problem depending where you live because of corrosives
> in the air, and exposure to them.
> When I took mine down for service after several years to replace the
> trap covers and give it the once over I was surprised by what I found.
> Condensation inside the traps had mixed with dust and collected at the
> bottom of the outside tube on the trap and mixed with moisture and the
> salt
> in the air, it etched the aluminum tube that ran up the center of the trap
> as well as the connection point to the outer tube. Not heavily but
> visible.
> Using a scotch bright pad and some Noa-Lox, I scrubbed the
> connections until they were cleaned up and much more conductive. ALL
> connections for aluminum parts were treated this way and it gave me a bit
> more confidence that the connections were corrosion free and might stay
> that
> way for a while.
> Replacing the clamps with the very best, stainless steel hose clamps
> I could find and using a bit of a wipe of Noa-Lox in the joints is a must
> when rebuilding. If one clamp doesn't seem to work well enough, use two.
> I went so far as to cross cut the joints to make them have 4 fingers
> instead of two so the tension was reduced on each finger and requiring
> less
> tension to keep things clamped. Was it necessary? Who knows, but it seemed
> to make a better bite for the clamps when tightened up.
>
> Overall, I think the Hustler verticals have been one of my most
> favorite antennas over the years. You can do all manner of things with
> them
> that was never intended and they work well and can be maintained easily
> and
> repaired inexpensively. I have even put two of the 5BTV together base to
> base and made a rotatable dipole out of them and they worked quite nicely.
> A
> bunch cheaper than some mfg want for a rotatable dipole as well because I
> have paid as little as $40 for used antennas that I had to take down and
> even got the one I have now for free from a buddy who didn't use it any
> longer. Hard to beat for the money.
> You just have to live with the idea that radials are a way of life
> with verticals.
>
> Michael Baker K7DD
> k7dd@cox.net
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
> [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jim CASSIDY
> Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 6:03 PM
> To: Towertalk
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Hustler 5BTV Problem
>
>
> I have had a problem with SWR on a 6BTV with resonant freq being lower
> than
> expected. A friend advised me that sometimes the lower end of the
> aluminum
> can around the trap makes a bad connection to the mast. The aluminum is
> the
> capacitance portion of the trap and without it the tap becomes a coil only
> and electrically lengthens the whole antenna.
> I have not tried to fix mine yet as its intended use is portable operation
> and I have not needed it yet.
> 73
>
> Jim Cassidy
>
> KI7Y
>
>
>
>
>
>
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