Caig R5 is one of a family of products made by Caig Laboratories, all of which are designed to improve conductivity between metal surfaces. They DO work -- you can mail-order the stuff in small quant
I just had an unpleasant experience on the phone with B&W. I was looking for the isolation spec on a B&W 594 coax transfer switch. Once the guy realized I didn't want one of their high-priced current
Thanks a bunch, Larry. Assuming they told it like it is, I should be fine. The switch is set up so I'd need to have the radios on alternate outlets anyhow. 73, Pete N4ZR Sometimes a tower is just a t
I think that this will occur anytime the mast is either smaller or larger than the magic diameter. I'm not sure it's necessary to replace the pointy-top. There are a couple of different models of poi
They are really very different from the Hygains, and I don't fully understand why they work so well, but they do. The first time I picked up my G-1000SDX, I was astonished by the light weight. The ge
Is there a non-radio/hobby/hardware source for 1/4" OD aluminum tubing? Maybe in the model airplane world? I know copper is readily available in the plumbing section of Home Depot et al, and maybe th
Thanks to all who responded. I suppose the original article involved tubing out of a desire to make the antenna as light as possible, but I think the aluminum rod's weight would still be acceptable,
Hi Ward -- I'm having a little trouble converging two pieces of conflicting advice. When I asked about receiver protectors, most folks recommended back to back diodes or strings thereof across the re
I'm not sure I agree. The antennas are designed using Yagistress, which is very much state-of-the-art in boom and element design. They are designed to a new paradigm, using very aggressively tapered
Well, I have one, bought new 7 years ago, that currently has a 2" Rohn mast turning inside it. There's at least 1/16 slop. 73, Pete N4ZR Sometimes a tower is just a tower
For whatever this is worth, I continue to believe that the best lightning protection an amateur station can have is to disconnect all conductors coming from the tower when the station is not in use.
Absolutely -- I'm also nervous enough that after I attach the positioning lanyard, I keep the fall-arrest line attached, AND I hang onto the tower while I push back against the positioning lanyard wi
Gee, I don't think I'd encourage this -- fair enough if you really know what you're doing, but how many people who think they do, don't? I'd rather spend the money and have someone my heirs can go to
But I think that most would agree on a few important basics. Of these, I'd suggest a few, and I'm sure others can add similar thoughts: -- think it through before you go. Anticipate as many issues as
I find it easy to envision problems climbing with the positioning lanyard around the tower, because it's too easy to imagine sliding down to the next guy station, which could be quite a distance belo
I agree that two fall-arrest lanyards, or a y-lanyard, are preferable to what I described, but I think this disaster scenario is much exaggerated. My positioning lanyard is only about 4 feet long. It
Hi Dick -- I don't think either one of us really knows. To me, the single point impact of falling (on your hip, for example) from 4 feet onto concrete is a lot more potentially damaging than falling
Fascinating -- when you consider that going back and redoing some of this stuff on spacecraft could be a $100 million proposition (ask the Space Telescope guys), it is worth REALLY doing right. 73, P
Not emotional, but seems to me that by posting on Towertalk you capture the most folks with the most different antennas, including SteppIRs. 73, Pete N4ZR Happy Holidays
Speaking of lousy stuff for knots, I have had a terrible time with the monofilament fishing line in my homebrew slingshot rig (like an EZ-hang). With any old knots used to attach the fishing weight t