[TowerTalk] Broken Element Tip

[Pete Smith]

At 01:17 AM 5/12/2004, K7LXC at aol.com wrote:
>  Here's what I recommend. In addition to the standard 3 rivets inline for
>element attachment, add a second row of 3 (or 4) rivets opposite the original
>ones. Or add a third row so that each row is 120 degrees around the element.
>You'll be good to go for years now.
>
>     The problem is that with only the single row of rivets there's still 
> lots
>of slack in the element pieces, enough for the element to work itself back
>and forth and then down to the ground. Two or even three rows of rivets will
>totally eliminate the wind working on the element and you'll never have to 
>worry
>about it again.

The downside here is that you're dealing with an element tip of only 3/8 
inch diameter, and rivets with a 1/8 inch shank.  I don't know how much 
overlap there is in these particular tips, but it isn't difficult to 
envision weakening the joint more than you help its rigidity, if you put as 
many as 9 additional 1/8" holes in a few inches of 3/8" and 1/2" aluminum 
tubing.

My 3 stock F12 HF antennas have been up since 1994, 1995 and 1996 
respectively with no tip problems.  Perhaps my environment is a lot more 
benign than VE5RA's (seems likely), but I don't think I'd rush to put in 
more than 1 additional rivet, at right angles to the others and as far away 
from them as possible.


73, Pete N4ZR
The World HF Contest Station Database
was updated on April 26, 2004
2706 contest stations at
www.pvrc.org/WCSD/WCSDsearch.htm