[TowerTalk] Sealing Coax Connections

Tue Apr 22 11:04:27 EDT 2025

I used coax seal once and did not like it.  I found  Scotch 2228 
Moisture Sealing Electrical Tape - Professional Grade (from 3M) to be 
much better than Coax Seal.  Stretch it as you wrap it with overlapping 
wraps and it will stick to itself (but is not sticky). Then I use Scotch 
88 over the 2228.

I have also tried a section of heat shrink tubing over the connectors as 
a first layer, then a layer of 2228, followed by a layer of 88. The heat 
shrink did NOT contain any sealant. It seemed to work but I only have a 
sample size of one attempt.  Each layer over wrapped the previous 
layer.  The difficult part was getting the heat shrink to shrink outside 
in cold weather.

I have never had issues with the removal of Scotch 88.  I have though 
with other brands of cheap electrical tape.   You get what you pay for.

If you want you can cover the 88 with Scotchkote too.  it comes in a 
16oz can with an applicator in the lid.  Brush it over the over tape.   
It is rather expensive and can be messy to apply.  The can I had 
eventually dried out and I stopped using it.

Chuck K9LC

On 4/22/2025 5:37 AM, n4zkf n4zkf.com wrote:
> Used color as well. When mapping a tower, 100’, 300’ or 1500’ you need to know what coax goes where. Color codes and the number of bands each color has helps. On cell towers it tells you what sector they are for at the equipment inside. Same a ham. What antenna.
>
> Scotch 33 does a fine job. When you use butyl as a coax seal and don’t put a “courtesy” wrap as Steve mentioned you may as well just cut the coax or hardline off rather than trying to get to the connector. It sticks so well it’s a pain. With a wrap of scotch, you can just slice all the way down to the connector and peel it off.
>
> Dave n4zkf
>
>
> From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces at contesting.com> on behalf of W7TMT - Patrick <W7TMT at outlook.com>
> Date: Monday, April 21, 2025 at 12:57 PM
> To: John Webster NN1SS <nn1ssnh at gmail.com>, Chuck Dietz <w5prchuck at gmail.com>, towertalk at contesting.com <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Sealing Coax Connections
> The Scotch branded colored tapes I buy and use for color coding electrical wires/cables for marine use is type 35. Its about the same thickness as 33 but has a slightly less aggressive adhesive and has less stretch as well. Still a high-quality tape but it doesn't seem to be the same as 33 from my experience. Just my observation of course.
>
> 73
> Patrick, W7TMT
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of John Webster NN1SS
> Sent: Monday, April 21, 2025 09:40
> To: Chuck Dietz <w5prchuck at gmail.com>; towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Sealing Coax Connections
>
> Yes. Scotch 33. I typically find it at hardware stores or the big box home improvement stores in the same place where they keep the Scotch 88.
>
> The point is to reduce the heat that could transfer to underlying connectors in the summer (I live in NH) and preserve the integrity of the weather seal. YMMV but it works for me.
>
> John
> NN1SS
>
> On Mon, Apr 21, 2025 at 12:13 PM Chuck Dietz <w5prchuck at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> White Scotch 33?
>>
>> Chuck W5PR
>>
>> On Mon, Apr 21, 2025 at 10:46 AM n4zkf n4zkf.com <n4zkf at n4zkf.com> wrote:
>>
>>> You got that right! If you ever want to get it off again when using
>> Butyl.
>>>
>>> David Calder
>>> n4zkf at n4zkf.com
>>> www.n4zkf.com<http://www.n4zkf.com>
>>> Dxc.n4zkf.com port:7373<dxc.n4zkf.com:7373> n4zkf/r 147.375 MHz Tone
>>> 103.5
>>>
>>>
>>> From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces at contesting.com> on behalf of
>>> Steve Maki <lists at oakcom.org>
>>> Date: Saturday, April 19, 2025 at 11:44 PM
>>> To: towertalk <towertalk at contesting.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Sealing Coax Connections In any case, one
>>> must use a "courtesy" wrap under the nuclear stuff to avoid loud
>>> swearing in the future.
>>>
>>> Scotch 33 or 88 works OK for that, but the best courtesy wrap is a
>>> layer of silicone tape.
>>>
>>> -Steve K8LX
>>>
>>> On 04/19/25 4:29 PM, Steve Jones wrote:
>>>> Interesting...I use the exact opposite procedure.  I first wrap
>>>> the connector with Scotch 88, with a little fold at the end for
>>>> easy
>>> unwrapping.
>>>> Then cover everything with the self-fusing Coax Seal.  If I need
>>>> to get
>>> to
>>>> the connector,  I scrape the sticky stuff away from the little
>>>> fold,
>> then
>>>> unwrap everything off to reveal a shiny clean connector.
>>>> 73,
>>>> Steve
>>>> N6SJ
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: TowerTalk<towertalk-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of Jim
>> Brown
>>>> Sent: Friday, April 18, 2025 10:56 PM To:towertalk at contesting.com
>>>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Sealing Coax Connections
>>>>
>>>> On 4/18/2025 3:12 PM, Brian Beezley wrote:
>>>>> Has anyone tried this method?:
>>>>>
>>>>> https://tinyurl.com/mr3n2htx
>>>> Neighbor W6GJB and I, who have worked together on antennas for
>>>> 10-15
>>> years,
>>>> have tried a lot of methods. I've used heat shrink selectively to
>>>> solve specific problems, but not to cover connections completely.
>>>>
>>>> One of the issues with any connection is that we often need to
>>>> open
>> them
>>> up
>>>> to change something, or to troubleshoot an issue. The method we
>>>> settled
>>> on
>>>> some years ago is to first wrap the connection with a self-fusing
>>> silicone
>>>> product like Rescue Tape, then cover it with an overlapped wrap of
>>> Scotch 88
>>>> to protect it both physically and from UV.
>>>> If we need to open up the connection, we can simply unwrap the 88,
>>>> then slice the silicone with a knife or razor blade.
>>>>
>>>> This method has worked quite well for us. We do a lot of portable
>>> operation
>>>> in Glen's contesting trailer
>>>>
>>>> k9yc.com/7QP.pdf
>>>>
>>>> and both of us live in the Santa Cruz Mountains, with a lot of
>>>> antennas rigged high in redwoods that experience storm damage,
>>>> every winter. And
>>> also
>>>> receiving antennas -- I have two 550 ft long reversible Beverages
>>>> and a
>>> pair
>>>> of phased VE3DO loops. We've figured out rigging pretty well
>>>> -- after losing a couple of 120 ft high dipoles in 2006-7, the
>>>> only
>> ones
>>>> I've lost since were three that were supported on one end by a 200
>>>> ft Douglas Fir whose root ball was pulled out of the ground! The
>>>> other end
>>> of
>>>> all three dipoles were intact. We rig with weights on pulleys, and
>>> rigging
>>>> is pretty robust.
>>>>
>>>> 73, Jim K9YC
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> TowerTalk mailing list
>>>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> TowerTalk mailing list
>>>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> TowerTalk mailing list
>>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> TowerTalk mailing list
>>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk