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Re: [TowerTalk] TowerTalk Digest, Vol 160, Issue 3

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] TowerTalk Digest, Vol 160, Issue 3
From: K7LXC--- via TowerTalk <towertalk@contesting.com>
Reply-to: K7LXC@aol.com
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2016 11:50:13 -0400
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Howdy --
 
    Nothing fatal but a little judicious editing will  prevent re-posting 
of the whole danged digest. Tnx.
 
Cheers,
Steve    K7LXC
TT ADMIN
 
From:  Evelyn <coolican@telus.net>
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject:  Re: [TowerTalk] TowerTalk Digest, Vol 160, Issue 2
Message-ID:  <295E66C7-5073-45A5-827A-022F7E2F810B@telus.net>
Content-Type:  text/plain;    charset=us-ascii



> On Apr 2, 2016,  at 7:11 AM, towertalk-request@contesting.com wrote:
> 
> Send  TowerTalk mailing list submissions to
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> 
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> When replying, please edit  your Subject line so it is more specific
> than "Re: Contents of  TowerTalk digest..."
> 
> 
> Today's Topics:
>  
>   1. frustrating rain and connections... also Noalox?  (StellarCAT)
>   2. Re: frustrating rain and connections...  also Noalox?
>      (George Dubovsky)
>    3. Re: frustrating rain and connections... also Noalox?
>     (Patrick Greenlee)
>   4. Re: frustrating rain and  connections... also Noalox? (J Chaloupka)
>   5. Fwd: Need  install a BRAKE to protect antenna and rotator...
>       (Hans Hammarquist)
> 
> 
>  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>  
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2016 08:21:33 -0400
> From:  "StellarCAT" <rxdesign@ssvecnet.com>
> To: "tower"  <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: [TowerTalk] frustrating rain  and connections... also Noalox?
> Message-ID:  <E2DF08FD4949491A9AE6A18231F1F1C1@RXDesignDell>
> Content-Type:  text/plain;    charset="UTF-8"
> 
> 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. 
> 
>  ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat,  2 Apr 2016 08:33:26 -0400
> From: George Dubovsky  <n4ua.va@gmail.com>
> To: StellarCAT  <rxdesign@ssvecnet.com>
> Cc: tower  <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] frustrating  rain and connections... also
>    Noalox?
>  Message-ID:
>     <CAALHBrZu0cvpaSzgrHzerzsHNpMYYevKO5Y7720FcJbvpWVAsA@mail.gmail.com>
>  Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
> 
> Hi Gary,
>  
> I'd look for things that are different, like the coax or balun  
connections.
> And I've never had any issues with brand-name NoAlOx in  joints, either 
new
> or years later.
> 
> 73,
>  
> geo - n4ua
> 
>> On Sat, Apr 2, 2016 at 8:21 AM,  StellarCAT <rxdesign@ssvecnet.com> 
wrote:
>> 
>> 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.
>>  _______________________________________________
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing  list
>> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>>  http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>> 
>  
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message:  3
> Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2016 07:45:11 -0500
> From: Patrick Greenlee  <patrick_g@windstream.net>
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
>  Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] frustrating rain and connections...  also
>    Noalox?
> Message-ID:  <56FFBED7.3040408@windstream.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;  charset=utf-8; format=flowed
> 
> Cue the theme to "The Twilight  Zone", Rod, if you please.
> 
> You stumped the chump with this  situation...  I am most anxiously 
> awaiting enlightenment from  our guru corps on this strange manifestation.
> 
> Meanwhile... I  think the two anti-seize corrosion prevention products 
> are  essentially the same and if one were applied to joint A and the 
> other  to joint B there would be no way to measure an electrical 
>  difference.  In addition if the joint is tightly clamped to make good  
> electrical as well as physical connection you would have to get close  
> with a powerful jet of eater to wash the compound out.  If you  did wash 
> it out it wouldn't keep giving repeatable results with  rain/dry cycles.
> 
> As the little Nazi watching from behind the  potted palm often said, 
> "Very interesting."
> 
>  Please... somebody... drop the other shoe!
> 
> Patrick   NJ5G
> 
>> On 4/2/2016 7:21 AM, StellarCAT  wrote:
>> 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.
>>  _______________________________________________
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing  list
>> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>>  http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> 
>  
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
>  Message: 4
> Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2016 12:48:39 +0000 (UTC)
> From: J  Chaloupka <boltsnutspins@yahoo.com>
> To: George Dubovsky  <n4ua.va@gmail.com>, StellarCAT
>     <rxdesign@ssvecnet.com>
> Cc: tower  <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] frustrating  rain and connections... also
>    Noalox?
>  Message-ID:
>     <1429792093.1277744.1459601319743.JavaMail.yahoo@mail.yahoo.com>
>  Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
> 
> 
> Did  something change with the ground under/around the antenna?
> JIM ? ?  w4qbq      From: George Dubovsky  <n4ua.va@gmail.com>
> To: StellarCAT <rxdesign@ssvecnet.com>  
> Cc: tower <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Sent: Saturday,  April 2, 2016 8:33 AM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] frustrating rain and  connections... also Noalox?
> 
> Hi Gary,
> 
> I'd  look for things that are different, like the coax or balun  
connections.
> And I've never had any issues with brand-name NoAlOx in  joints, either 
new
> or years later.
> 
> 73,
>  
> geo - n4ua
> 
>> On Sat, Apr 2, 2016 at 8:21 AM,  StellarCAT <rxdesign@ssvecnet.com> 
wrote:
>> 
>> 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.
>>  _______________________________________________
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing  list
>> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>>  http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>> 
>  _______________________________________________
> 
> 
>  
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk  mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>  http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> 
>  
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
>  Message: 5
> Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2016 09:11:17 -0400
> From: Hans  Hammarquist <hanslg@aol.com>
> To:  towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Fwd: Need install a  BRAKE to protect antenna and
>    rotator...
>  Message-ID: <153d7195d3b-603e-70cc@webprd-m60.mail.aol.com>
>  Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
> 
> You need a stronger  U-clamp.
> 
> 
> In one way the U-clamp works as a  mechanical fuse. You don't want that 
too strong as you can break the rotor  (rotator). I think "better a coax or 
so that the rotor.".
> 
>  
> Just my dime.
> 
> 
> Hans - N2JFS
> 
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Douglas Ruz / CO8DM  <co8dm@frcuba.co.cu>
> To: 'TT'  <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Sent: Fri, Apr 1, 2016 11:40  pm
> Subject: [TowerTalk] Need install a BRAKE to protect antenna and  
rotator...
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I installed a modify  spiderbeam few days ago. Spreaders are 7m long 
because
> I added 2 elem  (shortened) on 40m.
> 
> Few days ago, during a windy day, both U  bolts with saddle clamps in the
> rotator fail...the antenna mast  (aluminum tube) rotate inside the saddle 
and
> broke both coax  cables.
> 
> I quickly tie a pipe between the center hub and one  leg of to tower 
until I
> find a solution.
> 
> Maybe I need  a Brake mechanism to protect the rotator. Some kind of
> mechanism to  operate with a rope from the bottom of tower.
> 
> It is very  interesting...the center hub is connected with an U bolt with
> saddle  clamp to the alum mast...I think strong winds will turn the center
>  hub, so, I need protect the center hub too.
> 
> Any idea  ?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Doug, CO8DM
> 
>  _______________________________________________
> 
> 
>  
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk  mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>  http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> 
>  
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Subject:  Digest Footer
> 
>  _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing  list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
>  http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> 
>  
> ------------------------------
> 
> End of TowerTalk  Digest, Vol 160, Issue 2
>  *****************************************
_______________________________________________



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