[TowerTalk] RG213 Woes

[Mel Whitten]

BTW, what is the shelf life of Scotch 33/88?  I have had several rolls
go "bad".  The adhesive pulls away as it is being un-rolled and
partially sticks to the "top" of the tape.  I think the last roll that
did this
was about 4 years old. As a result, I always use "fresh" (what ever that
is) roll of tape.  Anyone note this problem? 

And, yes I like the heat shrink method and have successfully used it
over the years as well. 

Tnx,
Mel, K0PFX


-----Original Message-----
From: Roger (K8RI) [mailto:K8RI-on-TowerTalk at tm.net] 
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2007 12:09 PM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] RG213 Woes

The original post for this thread never turned up here, but assuming
this it 
the old two PL-259s and a barrell connector for a splice.

> If I KNOW that the splice will be there for several years I use shrink
> tubing over it with about 2" to spare at both ends. Then wrap the ends

> with
> nothing but Scotch 33/88 with the wraps in the "shingle"
configuration.

I know this is different than every one else, but I've found the "cheap 
stuff" worked better over the years than the "good stuff" and that was
after 
many, many rolls of 33 and 88 tape both on my installations and in
industry 
where we had to use 33 and 88. The problem with the cheap stuff is there
are 
good batches and poor batches.  The good baches are great, the other 
stuff...  OTOH you do know what you are getting with 33 and 88 tape.

With either kind of tape I use a double layer of tightly wound, self 
vulcanizing tape over the splice and covere that with two layers of the 
electrical tape.  OR I  give it several coats of the liquid electrical
tape, 
letting each layer cure before applying the next and then at least a
double 
layer of electrical tape for protection.

However I haven't used tape on a splice in the last 7 or 8 years.  I'll 
spend the extra and just use MMM "flooded" heat shrink tubing. I cut it
to a 
length so the tubing extends beyond the connectors and onto the coax
jacket 
for at least an inch. I prefer an inch and a half  to two inches on each

side for good measure. Using the two sizes (400 and 800) you can
handled 
every thing from LMR-600 to RG-58 
http://www.rogerhalstead.com/ham_files/connectors.htm You can purchase
the 
stuff in roughly 4' lengths for around $10 USD. This stuff really
shrinks so 
the big stuff that slides easily over the connectors will tightly grip
the 
coax jacket. Please note, I need to fix the e-mail link on the above
page.

As has already been mentioned, the connectors need to be tight, but not 
distorted. Finger tight usually isn't enough to overcome the changes
brought 
on by temperature changes particularly up here in the frozen north.

>
> If it will be there forever there is a shrink tubing that includes a
> flooding compound. You need a heat gun to do it right; the wifes hair 
> dryer
> works fine. There are also some brands that seal by air exposure.
Check 
> with

My wife's hair drier doesn't get nearly hot enough.  I purchased a 
relatively inexpensive heat gun at Lowe's that does the job in just a
few 
seconds.

The commercial grade, flooded heat shrink not only gives a good weather
seal 
it adds a lot of mechanical strength to the joint/splice that is
normally 
associated with PL-259s. Of course that does not remove the necessity
for 
properly attaching each PL-259<:-))

73

Roger (K8RI)

> your local CATV company or satellite dish installers to see what they
use.
>
> Carl
> KM1H

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