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Re: [TowerTalk] Sealed container needed for tuner

To: "chas" <chasm@texas.net>, "towertalk" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Sealed container needed for tuner
From: "Diane & Edward Swynar" <deswynar@xplornet.ca>
Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:45:56 -0400
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Hi Chas,

I don't know the size of any enclosure that you'd need to protect that
tuner, but FWIW, I have three 3/8-wave inverted "L" antennas that I phase
for a directive array on 160-meters---each "L" has a 300-pfd. (or so) air
variable capacitor at its base for proper initial tuning...

Here's what I did to weatherproof these caps:

---First, I salvaged three LARGE plastic "Folger's"-brand percolated coffee
plastic containers;

---Next I mounted each air variable capacitor inside each container,
attaching it to the side of each containter with silicone sealant;

---Then I forced a sharp pointed awl through the sides of each container to
serve as access points for the incoming/outgoing wires: I then swabbed
silicone sealant around the entry & exit points of each wire with silicone
sealant for waterproofing;

---I placed each sealed container atop a brick, so that it would be elevated
above physical ground, and,

---Finally, in order to allow the contents of the sealed container to
"breath" & to prevent any build-up of condensation inside, I drilled a small
hole through the top of each lid, & placed a short drinking
straw---specifically the kind that has a corregated section in it, allowing
the straw to be bent back upon istelf 180-degrees---through it, sealing the
sides as it entered the lid with silicone sealant.

The bending of the straw in this way prevents the ingress of moisture
through rain, melted snow, etc. This method is FAR superior to using my
previously-used thechniques, i.e. the use of silicone crystals in a bag
(they would saturate), & the inclusion of copious quantities of ordinary
grains of rice to absorb moisture ("critters" somehow sensed the presence of
the rice & would repeatedly pry open the lid, to eat the rice!).

The long & the short of it, Chas, is simply that "...it works for me"---and
it's CHEAP!

~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ


****************************************************************************
*********************



----- Original Message -----
From: "chas" <chasm@texas.net>
To: "towertalk" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 8:17 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Sealed container needed for tuner


> I want to mount an SGC-239 tuner on the tower below a vertical.  but I
need a
> UV proof, sealed, water tight container that I can put the tuner inside -
and
> then put that tuner in a tupperware? into another container if it can be
> found.   And all of this as cheap as possible.
>
> I think that NMEA cases are just too expensive but that might have to be
the
> end choice.
>
> thanks
> chas k5dam
> _______________________________________________
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>
>
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