[TowerTalk] Broken Element Tip

[Doug Renwick]

Normally I place dampening rope in most of my element tips.  I have
had tips of KLM and CC elements fatigue and break off in the past.
Against my better judgment I followed the Force-12 instructions
and did not install any anti-vibration rope.
What I am thinking of doing is to go to a heavier wall tubing
(the original is 0.035" wall) of 0.049 or 0.058", switching
from rivets to a gear clamp, and using a small diameter rope.
That I know will work.

Doug

Tom Rauch wrote:

>>The tip of the reflector on a Force-12 6L 10M yagi
>>(EF-610) broke off right at the rivet. 


> The same thing happened to my Force 12 ten meter yagi. The
> elements vibrated, and a tip broke off. I couldn't get rope
> in the elements because the rivets are in the way, so I
> stuck some pieces of thin rope in as far as I could and let
> it go at that.
> 
> I also bought a used 80/40 antenna that looks in great shape
> otherwise, but the rivets are all wallowed out in all the
> larger diameter longer elements. I haven't decided what to
> do with it yet. I'll probably just keep it for parts.
> 
> My conclusions are rivets are a *very* poor method of
> securing elements, and antennas need dampers inside
> elements.
> 
> 73 Tom


-- 
Doug Renwick VA5DX
PO Box 50, Clavet, Saskatchewan, Canada S0K 0Y0
VE5RA at sasktel.net
First VE5 9BDXCC
What profit it a ham if he gains all the awards yet forfeits his soul?
I'll run the race and I will never be the same again.