[TowerTalk] Stainless Steel Hose Clamps on antenna elements

[K3SV, Bill Gillenwater]

Two years ago I rebuilt a TH6. I used quite a few stainless hose-type
clamps. In each clamp I drove a stainless, self-tapping sheet metal type
screw, throught the clamp strap into the element. I did pre-drill a smaller
hole before driving in the screws. I recently took down the TH6, everything
was still as tight as the day we put it on the tower and the antennas went
through some serious winds in those two years.

73 Bill
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Gilmer - N2MG" <n2mg at contesting.com>
To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2003 9:56 AM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Stainless Steel Hose Clamps on antenna elements


> 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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