I have help usually from a couple guys I know who do radio installs for the 
railroad professionally and they just use good quality electrical tape 
rapped as you say on work ones and ham installs, this is repeaters and 
everything and I don't know of them having to fix their own work, other 
people's sometimes but not so much their own.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Forst" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2011 7:23 AM
Subject: Re: Small dilemma; Need some advice


> Tom,
>
> Like  most of the multitude, I wouldn't worry about it.  I've never been
> a fan of coax seal. It is a real mess when the time comes to undo it.
>
> The 3M tape you used is good stuff.   I think the only difference
> between the Super 33 and Super 88 is the thickness, both are rated for
> outdoor use.    If your friend knows what he is doing, he should have
> wrapped the final layer up from the bottom, towards the top.   This
> makes the final layer lay like shingles on a roof and  water won't try
> and  work it's way under each tape  seam, like would happen if the last
> layer were done from top down.   Either way, 3 layers of good quality
> tape is going to be fine.
>
> Here are a few things in the "should of" department:    Some time  ago
> there was a discussion of butyl rubber sheets for sealing coax outdoors.
>   Also some discussion of using pulleys to allow you to raise and
> lower the antenna yourself.  Oh, well...
>
> If your 160 antenna is up, there is a 160 CW contest tonight.Exchange is
> 4 digit grid square and points are based on distance between grids.  Try
> it out and see if it works.
>
> 73, Steve KW3A
>
> On 10/21/2011 10:30 PM, Tom Behler wrote:
>> Hi, all.
>>
>> Well, to make a very long story short, I have decided to take my 
>> troublesome
>> Carolina Windom 160 compact antenna down, and am in the process of 
>> replacing
>> it with a 160-meter sloper, and an 80-meter sloper that I purchased at a
>> swap in my area last week-end.
>>
>> We are in the middle of the antenna replacement process, but I'm hoping 
>> it
>> should be done by later tomorrow.
>>
>> All has gone well, except for one small issue, which I'm torn about how 
>> to
>> deal with.  This is the kind of issue where we've all been there when 
>> trying
>> to deal with volunteer help who doesn't do things like we would.
>>
>> Anyway, my friend installed the 160-meter sloper at the top of my 40-foot
>> mast, but when I asked him how he sealed the coax connection at the feed
>> point, he said that he coated the connector with a dialectric grease, and
>> then tightly wrapped three layers of electrical tape around the 
>> connection.
>> The tape he used was some real good 3 M tape that I had gotten a while 
>> ago.
>> I had wanted him to put coax seal on top of the tape, but he would not do
>> it, arguing that what he did should be fine.
>>
>> Obviously, my concern is that the electrical tape eventually will
>> deteriorate, and let water into the connection.
>>
>> I'm trying to figure out a tactful way to bring up this issue again with 
>> him
>> when he comes back tomorrow, but, at the same time, I don't want to 
>> offend
>> him, since he has done so much for me already.
>>
>> Does anyone have any ideas as to how to tactfully handle the situation?
>> Obviously, if just having the electrical tape was good enough, I wouldn't
>> stress about it, but I would sure hate to be introducing unnecessary
>> problems into the situation here.
>>
>> 73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ
>>
>>
>>