[TowerTalk] PL259 Connectors, weatherproofing

[Jon Pearl - W4ABC]

Hi neighbor,


No, no tape was laid down before utilizing the mastic.

When I first started using Coax-Seal many years ago, I did so without 
the benefit of tape.  All it takes is having to remove that gummy stuff 
just one time and you instantly know why tape is needed.  I decided not 
to use any tape with the mastic, hedging my bets that it wouldn't be 
sticky upon removal and I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't.

The mastic, while slightly parched from 7 years of Florida sun was 
highly pliable with no cracks coming close to being deep enough to 
describe as being on the verge of breaking through. Upon lancing it I 
found that I'd not scored it cleanly through to the connector and ended 
up parting it by hand, along with releasing the intimate grip that it 
had on the N-connector.  It was stretchy right up until the time that 
the two halves tore apart.

While my example is an anecdotal one - truthfully, if I were to apply 
the 2228 again tomorrow, I wouldn't sweat not using tape as a first coating.


What say you?


73,


Jon Pearl - W4ABC

www.w4abc.com


On 5/16/2016 12:33 AM, Bryan Fields wrote:
> On 5/16/16 12:04 AM, Jon Pearl - W4ABC wrote:
>> Since we're on the subject, I cut open a 7 year old connection, today,
>> utilizing Scotch 2228 Rubber Mastic Tape.  I was pleasantly surprised.
>>
>> Here are some photos: http://www.w4abc.com/Scotch2228.html
> Jon,
>
> Did you do a wrap of Scotch 33/88 electrical tape, then mastic and then a top
> wrap of scotch 33/88?
>
> I've been buying the Tessco weather proofing kits for about $10 and they come
> with 5 rolls of mastic, 2 narrow etapes and one 2" wide etape.  It's a good deal.
>
> 73's
>


---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus