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

[john at kk9a.com]

Noalox instead of Penatrox is not causing your SWR issue. I typically use
the latter, but have I used Noalox without issues.

John KK9A


To:	"tower" <towertalk at contesting.com>
Subject:	[TowerTalk] frustrating rain and connections... also Noalox?
From:	"StellarCAT" <rxdesign at ssvecnet.com>
Date:	Sat, 2 Apr 2016 08:21:33 -0400
List-post:	<towertalk at contesting.com">mailto:towertalk at contesting.com>
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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