[TowerTalk] Florida Ham fights UV - uses tape???????????

[Mark .]

Hi Jim,
I think UV resistant electrical tape makes an excellent sacrificial 
protection layer.
In a UV protection role, as opposed to a fastening role, such as holding 
feedlines onto tower or antenna hardware, I try to keep the following in 
mind:
- clean and degrease the part to be protected with rubbing alcohol
- tape with minimal tension
- stretch only to eliminate wrinkles
- overlap wraps by 1/2
- try not to get moisture or finger oils on the tape
- cut the ends cleanly with a sharp blade and minimal tension to eliminate 
flagging.

I think tape wrapping can be done quite neatly if you take just a little 
extra time.

When I assembled my C-3E antenna 14 months ago, I taped the grey PVC 
insulators using Scotch Super-88. After 14 months of exposure, they look 
great (just did an inspection) with no signs of flagging. I also 
spiral-wrapped my fiberglass 2m/440 vertical, and it is fine also.
  For the rectagular plastic enclosure on the match box of my 2m beam 
(Cushcraft 13B2), I cut the tape into strips and stuck it on with no 
tension, covering each side independently.

>From the ground, you can't even see the neat spiral lines.

For other plain PVC parts on my tower, I sprayed them with flat grey 
indoor-outdoor acrylic paint as a sacrificial layer to intercept the UV. 
This seems to be holding up well, too.

Good luck with your project!

--...MARK_N1LO...--
  Gloucester, VA
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