CATV hardline.

[K7LXC at aol.com]

In a message dated 96-04-29 07:01:45 EDT, you write:

>So...can those who know how to put PL259 connectors on please forward
>the information to me directly. We don't need to clutter the reflector
>again.
>
Shawn --

      Is your 7/8 hardline Andrew Heliax or what?  I think that the one place
where parsimonious hams do themselves a disservice is kludging hardline
connectors.  IF POSSIBLE, I would strongly recommend getting a factory
connector for the outdoor connection where reliability is the most critical
and then homebrew something for inside.  For best results, use Scotch 33 or
88 tape and vapor wrap over your connector joint for maximum weatherproofing
whether you use a factory connector or do-it-yourself.  

73 and good luck,    Steve   K7LXC

          Tower Tech -- professional tower supplies and services for amateurs

>From jboyd at ctobbs.com (Jerry Boyd)  Sun Apr 28 14:55:48 1996
From: jboyd at ctobbs.com (Jerry Boyd) (Jerry Boyd)
Date: Sun, 28 Apr 1996 13:55:48 GMT
Subject: First Contest Station
Message-ID: <96042905340236589 at ctobbs.com>

Licensed in 1958 and with my dad built the following station: Heath AR-3
Receiver with QF-1 Q multiplier, Heath DX-20 transmitter with just a few
xtals.  Call was WV6CUP which changed to WA6CUP when I upgraded.  Age 12
when first licensed.

First contest was from a club station (W6EDL) with a 75A4 and a Johnson
Ranger. Three element yagi was six stories up on top of a
hospital near downtown Los Angeles.  As I recall, it was SS phone and I
was so overwhelmed that I didn't try contesting again until about 1980.
Timeout from contesting also due to college and shift work as a
police officer  for quite a number of years.

Having recently retired and moving to 5 acre QTH on a 2000 foot hill in
the near future, plans are underway for a "decent" contest
station--finally!  Lots of fun with the hobby over the past 38 years!

Jerry
KG6LF

>From Lee Buller <k0wa at southwind.net>  Mon Apr 29 14:16:36 1996
From: Lee Buller <k0wa at southwind.net> (Lee Buller)
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 08:16:36 -0500
Subject: Going to Dayton?
Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19960429131636.0068508c at southwind.net>

Ladies and Gentlemen....


Who is all going to Dayton this year?  And...who will attend the contest get
together at the Stouffers?

Lee Buller
k0wa at southwind.net


>From Swanson, Glenn,  KB1GW" <gswanson at arrl.org  Mon Apr 29 15:12:00 1996
From: Swanson, Glenn,  KB1GW" <gswanson at arrl.org (Swanson, Glenn,  KB1GW)
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 96 10:12:00 EDT
Subject: Hints and kinks (cleaning aluminum yagi elements)
Message-ID: <3184CE8D at arrl.org>


Dear Bill and John,

     A kind soul at Headquarters bounced a copy of your exchange to me
(Hints and Kinks Editor). The corrosion topic is well covered by Scott
Roleson, KC7CJ, in "Fighting Antenna Corrosion," which appears in the April
1993 QST, pages 24 to 26. The article discusses corrosion physics,
anticorrosion construction methods and six products to prevent future
corrosion. Most local libraries keep back copies of QST. (You can purchase
back issues from Headquarters, tel 860-594-0250; e-mail: pubsales at arrl.org).

73, Bob, KU7G
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Robert J. Schetgen, KU7G/1         American Radio Relay League
Assistant Technical Editor                        225 Main St
QST Team                   Newington, CT 06111-1494
Hints & Kinks Editor
ph: 860-594-0277 (direct)
ph: 860-594-0200 (switchboard)
fax: 860-594-0259             email: rschetgen at arrl.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>From sawyers" <sawyers at cacd.rockwell.com  Mon Apr 29 16:49:48 1996
From: sawyers" <sawyers at cacd.rockwell.com (sawyers)
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 96 09:49:48 cst
Subject: Loos Tension Guage
Message-ID: <9603298307.AA830789472 at ccmgw1.cacd.rockwell.com>

I got one, looked at it and did some calcs based on individual wire 
diameter of 1x19 vs 1x7. I also dropped in a piece of 7 strand 3/16 EHS and 
1/4 EHS and put them under couple of hundred pounds of pull on the bench 
vise. 

Test method was cable with loop hanging vertical near floor and clamped in 
bench vise. Angle iron thru loop and caught under bench cross brace. Loos 
tension guage on cable. Stand on angle iron. Read guage. Calculate leverage 
of angle iron to get the tension. I know my weight more accurately than the 
weight of cement bags.

Results: Gauge indicates tension to be higher than actual by about 2-8% of 
reading (which is probably as accurate as my leverage measurements) ie. you 
should tension a 3/16 EHS to a reading equal to 408 - 432 lbs to get 400 
actual.

Real world conclusion: Good enough. Note that calibrations may vary from 
gauge to gauge. Either way, it is more accurate than pulse or tangent 
method in EIA-222 and a heck of a lot faster and repeatable. (BTW - pulse 
and tangent methods are real tricky with insulators in the guys.)

If you go to three strand guy cable (yes - I know it is not EHS) then the 
error in the reading will increase significantly.

When I talked to them, they said that they were working on a model for 5/16 
and 3/8. I can't wait till they get that one done. Just hope they don't 
realize what a value this is raise the price too much!

73

de n0yvy  

Steven H. Sawyers PE

Disclaimer: I and my company agree on one thing: My opinions are my own.