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Re: [TowerTalk] securing loose element ends

To: Kathy Bookmiller <wb2aio@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] securing loose element ends
From: n8de@thepoint.net
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:47:35 -0400
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Kathy,
Forget what that says ... use Noalox on clean element pieces where  
they telescope into each other.

Turn the 'clamp' so tightening the screw on it will close the saw-slot  
gap in the outer tubing at the joint.

If you don't align the clamp so that happens, change the alignment of  
the screw in relation to the gap.

Make sure you place the clamp VERY near the end of the outer piece of  
tubing, NOT more than 1/8" away or the scenario you describe will be  
difficult to avoid.

Good luck
73
Don
N8DE



Quoting Kathy Bookmiller <wb2aio@yahoo.com>:

> Hi TT'ers,
> I was putting together my Hygain Ex 14 today and found something I   
> hadn't expected. When tightening up the hose clamps to secure the   
> ends of the elements (7/16") that regardless of how hard I cranked   
> the clamps, the tips were still loose enough that they could easily   
> be pulled out-maybe 10# of pressure! Now I don't want to get this up  
>  in the air and find that with the wind vibration that they'll move   
> in or out.
> My question is what would be a more permanent way to secure them-I'm  
>  thinking along the lines of aluminum pop rivets or a zip screw or   
> two. The pop rivets would be aluminum and the zip screws are steel   
> (zip screws is what I call them, I've heard them called other   
> things. They are short self taping screws used in duct work in the   
> HVAC industry)
> Also, I was surprised to see that Hygain no longer wants one to use   
> a mating compound on where the elements slide together, but says the  
>  raw aluminum on aluminum is sufficient. I remember years ago they   
> used to include a small canister of the paste-which I still have   
> left from prior antennas from them.
> This antenna was used, maybe ten years old, and whatever compound   
> the previous owner used had dried into a hard crystalline compound   
> that made taking the antenna apart very difficult. At this point I   
> almost wished I had left it alone but I completely dissembled it and  
>  cleaned out all the elements and traps which were packed with dead   
> insect debris, and I do mean packed!
> It is only the ends of elements that have this looseness problem,   
> the other sections seem to clamp up tight enough.
> Thoughts?,
> Kathy
>
>
>
>
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