[TowerTalk] Dipole center insulator strain releif

[Bob K6UJ]

Roger,

I like your design,  I have made a similar arrangement, including the #31 cores but am not that satisfied with my 
scheme.  I let the RF choke hang below unsupported.  If you can do a picture that would be great.

Do you know what type of plastic the white cutting boards are ?   They sure look like teflon although I'm sure they are not, hihi.  
I am thinking of getting one and trying it for a dipole center support panel like we are discussing.  I guess the first thing to do is to see if they
are immune to RF.  Putting one in the microwave for a little bit to see it gets warm might be a good test.  The ones I have seen are about 1/2" thick,
and they sure look like they are begging to be used on antennas, hihi

Bob
K6UJ





On Apr 21, 2012, at 5:18 PM, K8RI wrote:

> On 4/21/2012 6:17 PM, Dick wrote:
>> I just got a rope over a tree after 4 years of trying. I need a dipole center insulator that has strain relief for the coax. To clear the branches, the coax will be pulling against the center support rope. All the center insulators I've seen have an SO-239, it doesn't seem like putting that strain on a PL-259 is a good idea... Do any have a strain relief??
> 
> I make my own out of 1/2" Plexiglass, or two 1/4" sheets laminated 
> together with epoxy.  I drill a hole in the center slightly larger than 
> the coax and round the edges. Typically I make a RF Choke of 5 or 6 2.4" 
> # 31 cores with 5 or 6 turns of BuryFlex(TM) coax. I typically make the 
> choke part of the feed line so no PL-259s are under tension.  It takes 
> very little (relatively speaking) to pull the coax out of one even if 
> it's thoroughly soldered. I will often put a connector on the antenna 
> side of the choke and run a coax pigtail from it to aid in water 
> proofing.  To take up the antenna strain I use a 4 or 6" ceramic 
> insulator  TieWraped to the Plexiglass. I drill holes just large enough 
> for the tiewraps.  Remember that nylon does not stand up well to UV or 
> out in the elements nor do cheap cable ties.
> 
> So I end up with the coax going through the Plexiglass, then the choke 
> on the other side and finally to the antenna ends at the ends of the 
> ceramic insulator.  In some cases I epoxy the coax in the hole through 
> the Plexiglass.  I have some of these supporting about a 100' of 
> BuryFlex(TM) back to the tower while the antenna may be under between 
> 100 and 200# of tension such as the 75 meter fan dipole.
> 
> I hope to have a photo up yet this evening.
> 
> 73
> 
> Roger (K8RI)
>> 
>> Thank, 
>> Dick NY1E
>> www.ny1e.com
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