[TowerTalk] frustrating rain and connections... also Noalox?

[TexasRF at aol.com]

Gary, it could be an antenna issue or a feed line issue. I suggest you  
temporarily dangle a new coax line from the feed point down to the ground level 
 and make a test to determine which it is.
 
Perhaps you have a method of checking the SWR right at the feed point with  
a remote readout? 
 
Happy hunting!
 
Gerald K5GW
 
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 4/2/2016 7:21:54 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
rxdesign at ssvecnet.com writes:

I’m  testing a yagi... I can raise it to ~37’ for testing and lower it to 
about 8’  for adjustment ... it was made as a duplicate to another one and 
testing  showed it to be just that – a duplicate. Until it rained! The SWR 
shifted  downward. At 21425 it was ~1.35:1 ... and it would go over 2:1. I’m 
at a loss  as to what is causing this. It is a used antenna reassembled... 
but I find it  very difficult to believe that water could get in to the 
mechanical joints and  cause this kind of a problem. The balun doesn’t appear to 
be taking on water –  there wasn’t a drain hole in the bottom – there is now 
– I went out early this  morning just after it rained – SWR up high – and 
there was nothing coming out  of the drain hole. I have checked all 
connections – they’re tight. Oh – and  the strange thing – it goes back to normal 
after only about 4 – 5 hours  without rain. It has done this 3 times now. It 
is now – 45 minutes after  checking it this morning where it was at 2.33:1, 
its now down to 1.8:1 and  continuing its decent. And further note the SWR 
seems to be about the same –  its just shifted downward when wet. Also I 
hosed it down – the balun/coax  connection, hairpin for a good 5 minutes – no 
change. I hosed down the  elements at their joints – no change. It rains: 
changes! The fact that it  shifts seems to be independent of height – it does 
this if at 37’ or at  8’.

Also: is Noalox the same as penatrox? It is the No AL OX sold by HD  ... it 
says it is for increased conductivity as well as anti-seize... perhaps  IT 
is the problem at the joints ... unless someone knows it to be fine (or  
KNOWS it to be bad). 

thanks – I’m hoping someone has personally seen  such a thing and has an 
idea. Its holding up the testing of the other  antennas. 

Gary 

ps: the first one had no problems when it was  rained on.  
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