[TowerTalk] Blackened Sheild on Belden Coax?

[Tom K Osborne]

On Tue, 19 Sep 2000 04:52:30 -0400 "Tom Rauch" <w8ji@contesting.com>
writes:

> Any time I've had "blackened braid", it has been from water. It 
> doesn't matter if the cable is one month old, if I get water in the 
> cable the braid turns black and loss goes way up. 
> I wonder what other people's experiences are? 

Hi Tom

I have some antennas here that have the black coating on the coax.  I
have been going to change it for a long time but just haven't gotten
around to it.  As far as performance and SWR, the antennas haven't
changed since I put them up.  The antennas are 3 phased 40 meter
verticals.  Last year I redid the radial connections and noticed the
blackened coax.  I cut a couple of feet off and it was still black so I
just scraped the coating off and soldered the radials to the shield.  I
would like to see some measurements made somehow to actually see what is
happening.  I know it sure looks ugly but so far hasn't impeded the
performance of the array.  At least as far as I can tell.  73.
Tom W7WHY
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