[TowerTalk] Subject: Sealing Some connectors

[K7LXC at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/12/2006 7:00:20 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
towertalk-request at contesting.com writes:

>    How one seals a connection and what one chooses  to seal the 
connection may vary according to the part of the county a  station is 
located.   One technique which the locals here have  used to seal coax 
connections (particularly around barrell connectors) is  to take a piece 
of  plastic kitchen wrap (Saran wrap or Handi-wrap)  and wrap it around 
the entire connection.   Then use black tape  to wrap around the plastic 
wrap.   To remove it, use a utility  knife to make a slit and peal it 
off.  The PL-259s and Barrell  connector will look new.    How this would 
work in a salt  environment is unknown.   Stronger measures would likely 
be  necessary there. 
 
    Well, that's the first time I've heard Saran wrap  mentioned. Your first 
layer should be Scotch 33 or 88 tape. The next layer is  a vapor wrap. While 
butyl rubber of some ilk is the preferred material,  you can use other stuff 
like Coaxseal, plumber's putty, floral tape, etc. I  personally wouldn't 
recommend the Saran wrap method because of the handling  problems up on a tower but I 
suppose it'd work.
 
    And then the top 2 or 3 layers of 33 or 88 again  and you've got a 
bombproof joint.
 
Cheers,
Steve      K7LXC
TOWER TECH