[TowerTalk] heat shrink weathering

Tue Oct 11 07:55:12 PDT 2011

Thanks Gene,

I've used that too.  It's pretty cool stuff.  I mainly use 2220 (same basic 
thing but in tape form) and cover that with 33+.

I often wish they'd just come up with an N-male connector version that is 
self sealing.  You'd sure think it would be possible by now.....

laters,
marlon

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gene Smar" <ersmar at verizon.net>
To: "Marlon K. Schafer (509-982-2181)" <ooe at odessaoffice.com>; "K8RI on TT" 
<k8ri-on-towertalk at tm.net>; <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 1:17 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] heat shrink weathering

> Marlon:
>
>     If you want to try something else to seal the connectors on your coax 
> runs, I can sugest 3M Scotch 2200 vinyl mastic pads.  I used them right on 
> top of the homebrew ground straps and underneath the top Scotch 88 tape 
> wraps on my coax runs.  Here's a link to some photos:
> http://s83.photobucket.com/albums/j282/ersmar/?action=view&current=Scotchmastic.jpg .
>
> 73 de
> Gene Smar  AD3F
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Marlon K. Schafer (509-982-2181)" <ooe at odessaoffice.com>
> To: "K8RI on TT" <k8ri-on-towertalk at tm.net>; <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 2:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] heat shrink weathering
>
>
>> mmm or 3m?
>>
>> I've used the glue filled version of that too.  It just doesn't stick to 
>> the
>> coax after a while and that leaves a way for water to get in.
>>
>> A new thing I've seen a couple of times lately has been a hole in my 
>> mastic
>> tape.  looks almost like some sort of bug has drilled a hole in it.
>>
>> I can't decide if I need to just tape over it or replace the entire cable
>> and antenna (only 3' of cable).  I am starting to wonder if it's more an
>> issue of air having been in the connection when it was installed on a 
>> cold
>> day and then pushing through as things got hotter.
>>
>> Any ideas?
>> marlon
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "K8RI on TT" <k8ri-on-towertalk at tm.net>
>> To: <towertalk at contesting.com>
>> Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2011 4:45 PM
>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] heat shrink weathering
>>
>>
>>> On 9/29/2011 6:37 PM, Marlon K. Schafer (509-982-2181) wrote:
>>>> What is MMM stuff?
>>>
>>> It's a flooded heat shrink tube that comes various sizes made by MMM
>>>
>>> 73
>>>
>>> Roger (K8RI)
>>>> marlon
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "K8RI on TT"<k8ri-on-towertalk at tm.net>
>>>> To:<towertalk at contesting.com>
>>>> Sent: Monday, September 26, 2011 10:22 AM
>>>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] heat shrink weathering
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> On 9/26/2011 11:52 AM, Marlon K. Schafer (509-982-2181) wrote:
>>>>>> When I was in the service we used quite a bit of this:
>>>>>> http://raychem.te.com/CableProtection.asp
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Pretty cool stuff.  It had something in the jacket that showed when 
>>>>>> you
>>>>>> were
>>>>>> getting it hot enough etc.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Lately I've used some from a local electrical supply house.  It 
>>>>>> worked
>>>>>> well,
>>>>>> had lots of glue inside etc.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> What I found in my area is that when it gets cold the glue gets hard
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> doesn't stay sealed to the cable.  This resulted in water 
>>>>>> penetration.
>>>>> Try the flooded MMM stuff.  It has never come loose here and we get a
>>>>> number of days and nights below zero in the winter.
>>>>>
>>>>> 73
>>>>>
>>>>> Roger (K8RI)
>>>>>> For the high frequencies that I work with this was a major problem.
>>>>>> Any
>>>>>> little bit of water at 2400mhz is a disaster.  I've seen a LOT of sub
>>>>>> 1ghz
>>>>>> connections with no weather proofing at all work just fine.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The heat shrink is great stuff where you can use it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> laters,
>>>>>> marlon
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>> From: "Joseph or Ruth Patrick"<hdmc38 at bellsouth.net>
>>>>>> To: "Grant Saviers"<grants2 at pacbell.net>
>>>>>> Cc:<towertalk at contesting.com>
>>>>>> Sent: Monday, September 12, 2011 6:40 AM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] heat shrink weathering
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Good Morning Grant
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I can't give you an exact figure as to the life of the heat shrink
>>>>>> tubing.
>>>>>> If
>>>>>> you can find out who the manufacturer is they should be able to help
>>>>>> you
>>>>>> out. I
>>>>>> have used heat shrink on connectors that were hard to seal properly. 
>>>>>> To
>>>>>> close to
>>>>>> something, not enough clearance etc. I have had some in use for 5 
>>>>>> years
>>>>>> now.
>>>>>> Recently I had to replace an insulator on my mobile set up. I cut off
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> heat
>>>>>> shrink and the PL-259 was bright and shiny as when I sealed it. I 
>>>>>> can't
>>>>>> give
>>>>>> you
>>>>>> a name because the piece I have left is not marked. I did use the 
>>>>>> type
>>>>>> with
>>>>>> adhesive inside. Also look for a 3 to1 shrink ratio. If you don't 
>>>>>> have
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> heat
>>>>>> gun I would suggest you purchase a cheap one unless you plan to use 
>>>>>> it
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> lot. I
>>>>>> picked one up on E-bay for$20.00 + shipping. Yeah it was really cheap
>>>>>> but
>>>>>> it
>>>>>> worked fine and still does. Just go slow and don't get it to hot. I
>>>>>> also
>>>>>> use
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> silicone based paste named "STUFF" inside the connection. Had good 
>>>>>> luck
>>>>>> with
>>>>>> that also. The adhesive type is hard to remove. Maybe some SteppIR
>>>>>> owners
>>>>>> can
>>>>>> help with that. Good Luck let us know how you make out.
>>>>>> 73 DE K4XZ Joe Patrick
>>>>>> God Made Man
>>>>>> Sam Colt Made Them Equal
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ________________________________
>>>>>> From: Grant Saviers<grants2 at pacbell.net>
>>>>>> To: towertalk at contesting.com
>>>>>> Sent: Sun, September 11, 2011 7:59:10 PM
>>>>>> Subject: [TowerTalk] heat shrink weathering
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm building a new SteppIR beam and they have changed from tape
>>>>>> wrapping
>>>>>> the fiberglass element joints to an adhesive lined heat shrink 
>>>>>> "CANUSA
>>>>>> CFTV".
>>>>>>
>>>>>> This approach seems better than two layer's of Scotch 33 plus a layer
>>>>>> self amalgamating silicone tape which is what is in the instruction
>>>>>> book.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> My question is how long does the heat shrink/adhesive last in the
>>>>>> weather, sun, etc? Apparently CFTV has been used for some time in the
>>>>>> cellular business and a fellow towertalkian might have observed the
>>>>>> performance for 5 to 10 years.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have plenty of silicone tape and plain old #33 so could wrap each
>>>>>> heat
>>>>>> shrink piece if that is warranted.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 73,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Grant KZ1W
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
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