[TowerTalk] Stainless Steel Hose Clamps on antenna elements

[Mike Gilmer - N2MG]

W1WEF wrote:
> Has anyone else experienced SS hose clamps loosening?

Perhaps they were overtightened originally so that the 
screw (eventually) slipped/stripped-out of the band's 
slots?

I absolutely despise hose clamps (not that there are 
readily available alternatives) for squeezing aluminum 
element tubing.  Just when you think you've cranked 
hard enough to keep the joint from rotating, 
they "strip".  

Cushcraft provided hose clamps for this purpose, but 
at least provided four slots in the outer tubing.  
This gave the clamps a fighting chance to compress the 
tubing enough to hold.  Hygain only cut one slot, but 
supplied a much stronger (and better - other than the 
galling problem of the stainless bolts) clamp, one 
that could easily be tightened enough to deform the 
tubing.  However, MFJ, as part of its usual post-
acquisition cost-cutting process, eliminated these 
custom clamps and now provides regular hose clamps for 
this purpose.  Needless to say, MFJ never designed in 
any additional slots in the outer tubing, so the 
grabbing power of the "new" MFJ/Hygain element design 
is sadly lacking IMO.

Personally, for the small extra effort and expense, I 
elected to pop-rivet (or #10 screw w/nylock) all the 
joints in my several (used) Cushcraft and Hygain 
antennas when I put them together this Fall.  It 
remains to be seen if this will really help keep the 
elements together - it works pretty well on the 
ground! ;-)

73 Mike N2MG

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