Cqtestk4xs@aol.com wrote:
>
> In a message dated 8/25/2008 2:48:23 AM Greenwich Standard Time,
> HansLG@aol.com writes:
>
> Dave, K1TTT, gave me the advice to tape the coax to the tower legs. Just
> plain, good, electric tape
>
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> I posted on this concept before.
>
> I used to buy and sell tower back in FL before moving out to KH6. I
> regularly used electrical tape to secure coax.......until I had a chance to
> see what
> could happen in a corrosive environment.
>
> Upon taking possession of a used 300 foot Rohn 55 tower that had been up for
> about 30 years and had been located about 1/2 mile from the Gulf of Mexico,
> I discovered some oxidation and surface rust on the sections, no surprise
> there. But, under the electrical tape from around 250 to 300 the tower was
> actually rotted through..My guess is the salt from the air had been
> concentrated and had been pocketed in the tape around the coax.
>
> After that day I used nothing but UV cable ties.
>
Good broad UV *resistant* ties work, but they also present a place for
water and particularly salt air to accumulate.
As to how good are they? When I installed the antennas on the 45G I
used the 1/2" wide, name brand, expensive, UV resistant ties that come
from the electrical supply houses. They had been up several years and
seemed to be holding solid. Pull on, or out on the coax and it appeared
to be solidly anchored. However I needed to move a couple of the runs.
I figured I'd just lift the little tab and loosen them enough to move
the cables. When I started to apply pressure on the first one the tie
snapped in two right where the strap enters the clip. Coincidence? I
tested another by sticking a screw driver under it. It only took ounces
of pressure to snap the ties. Had they been left alone they'd probably
have lasted 4 or 5 more years...maybe. Remember this is the frozen
North where we receive only a fraction of the sun / UV that the Souther
states get. I went back to tape. However I only wrap a tape width, or
slightly more and do so about every two feet.
I had one of the old American Steel towers up for 15 years or maybe a
few more. The tape took the paint right off. However there was never a
rust problem on the tower... that is except for the bolts and galvanized
guy wires. When I took it down I ended up twisting about half of the
bolts in two to get them off the tower. The guys were still far stronger
than needed, but the surface on all of them was brown.
>
> Bill KH7XS/K4XS
Roger (K8RI - ARRL Life Member)
www.rogerhalstead.com
N833R (World's oldest Debonair)
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