its back to normal now ~4-5 hours since the rain ended.
Gary
K9RX
From: TexasRF@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, April 2, 2016 9:35 AM
To: rxdesign@ssvecnet.com ; towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] frustrating rain and connections... also Noalox?
Gary, it could be an antenna issue or a feed line issue. I suggest you
temporarily dangle a new coax line from the feed point down to the ground level
and make a test to determine which it is.
Perhaps you have a method of checking the SWR right at the feed point with a
remote readout?
Happy hunting!
Gerald K5GW
In a message dated 4/2/2016 7:21:54 A.M. Central Daylight Time,
rxdesign@ssvecnet.com writes:
I’m testing a yagi... I can raise it to ~37’ for testing and lower it to
about 8’ for adjustment ... it was made as a duplicate to another one and
testing showed it to be just that – a duplicate. Until it rained! The SWR
shifted downward. At 21425 it was ~1.35:1 ... and it would go over 2:1. I’m at
a loss as to what is causing this. It is a used antenna reassembled... but I
find it very difficult to believe that water could get in to the mechanical
joints and cause this kind of a problem. The balun doesn’t appear to be taking
on water – there wasn’t a drain hole in the bottom – there is now – I went out
early this morning just after it rained – SWR up high – and there was nothing
coming out of the drain hole. I have checked all connections – they’re tight.
Oh – and the strange thing – it goes back to normal after only about 4 – 5
hours without rain. It has done this 3 times now. It is now – 45 minutes after
checking it this morning where it was at 2.33:1, its now down to 1.8:1 and
continuing its decent. And further note the SWR seems to be about the same –
its just shifted downward when wet. Also I hosed it down – the balun/coax
connection, hairpin for a good 5 minutes – no change. I hosed down the elements
at their joints – no change. It rains: changes! The fact that it shifts seems
to be independent of height – it does this if at 37’ or at 8’.
Also: is Noalox the same as penatrox? It is the No AL OX sold by HD ... it
says it is for increased conductivity as well as anti-seize... perhaps IT is
the problem at the joints ... unless someone knows it to be fine (or KNOWS it
to be bad).
thanks – I’m hoping someone has personally seen such a thing and has an idea.
Its holding up the testing of the other antennas.
Gary
ps: the first one had no problems when it was rained on.
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