[TenTec] Open wire problems.......

[Chester Alderman]

At 03:03 AM 9/23/97 GMT, you wrote:
>I have seen plastic covered open wire broken under the plastic. Use an
>ohm meter to chick it, pull and wiggle it. Mine was broken near the
>center insulator. Slight twist is recommended as helping.
>
>Walt K8CV

Actually there is not much you can do for that solid conductor PVC covered
'ladder' line. The solid conductor #18 wire does have a tendancy, over
time, to flex and then break. As you found out, it is very hard to
troubleshoot, especially if you have it hooked to an antenna thats hung way
above your head. About all  you can do is as you suggest, bring your
antenna down, short across the center insulator and connect an ohm meter
across the input end of the ladder line and HOPE you can find the open.
The other thing BAD about PVC covered ladder line is that the SWR changes
pretty drastically when you have snow, ice, or even rain on the line. Any
kind of open wire line has this tendancy, but the PVC ladder line is
significantly worse.


Chester Alderman
Tom - W4BQF
chestert@pressroom.com


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