Gerry:
I didn't get on the air yesterday, because the antennas still need to be
tweaked, but I think we are getting there slowly but surely.
If I didn't have to work for a living, I'd be out there right now doing my
tweaking thing! (grin)
Will probably have to wait till this coming week-end to truly wrap things
up and test the antennas on the air.
73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gerry Leary" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, October 24, 2011 3:05 AM
Subject: Re: Small dilemma; Need some advice
> Thanks very much. It is early Monday Morning. Did you get on the air
> yesterday?
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tom Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, October 23, 2011 5:00 AM
> Subject: Re: Small dilemma; Need some advice
>
>
>> Gerry:
>>
>> The radiating element of the 160 sloper is 68 feet long, and the
>> radiating
>> element of the 80-meter one is about half that length, I believe.
>>
>> The rest of the length is made up of the loading coil for each antenna,
>> and
>> the counterpoise which is connected to ground.
>>
>> For more information, go to:
>>
>> www.w8amz.com
>>
>> This is all very experimental for me at this point, and I know I'm not
>> giving you the most complete information. ... I'll have more details
>> later.
>>
>> 73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Gerry Leary" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Sunday, October 23, 2011 6:34 AM
>> Subject: Re: Small dilemma; Need some advice
>>
>>
>>> Tom, How long are the new antennas?
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Tom Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2011 6:31 PM
>>> Subject: Re: Small dilemma; Need some advice
>>>
>>>
>>>> Pat:
>>>>
>>>> I believe my answer to your question, if I understand it correctly is
>>>> "yes".
>>>>
>>>> My understanding of these antennas is that there is a main radiating
>>>> element
>>>> that is connected to a coil that is wound for the particular band in
>>>> question. In my case, one antenna is for 80 and the other is for 160.
>>>>
>>>> On the other end of that coil is a counterpoise wire that is then
>>>> connected
>>>> to ground.
>>>>
>>>> The ground, supposedly, is the all-important thing that makes the
>>>> antenna
>>>> actually work.
>>>>
>>>> This was all new to me last week-end, too.
>>>>
>>>> The guy I bought the antennas from is w8amz, from Muskegon, Michigan.
>>>>
>>>> His web site is:
>>>>
>>>> www.w8amz.com
>>>>
>>>> 73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Pat Byrne" <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2011 3:01 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: Small dilemma; Need some advice
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Is a mast enough "missing other side" for a sloper Tom? Somewhere I
>>>>> was led to believe that something with more "mass" to it would be
>>>>> necessary. Opens up new choices for me!!
>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>> Pat, K9JAU
>>>>> By the way; just worked an Alaskan, first call out of the box on ten
>>>>> with the Carolina Windem up perhaps thirty-five feet. Ten sounds
>>>>> absolutely excellent.At 09:17 AM 10/22/2011, you wrote:
>>>>>> Thanks, Howard.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Time will tell, I'm sure.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>>>>>>
>>>>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>>>>From: "Howard, W A 9 Y B W" <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>>>Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2011 9:16 AM
>>>>>>Subject: Re: Small dilemma; Need some advice
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> > Hi Tom,
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > In my experience, if you use a good electrical tape such as the 3M
>>>>>> > #33
>>>>>> > tape
>>>>>> > it will last for years.
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > Howard, #3 W A 9 Y B W
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>> > From: "Tom Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>>> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>>> > Sent: Friday, October 21, 2011 9:30 PM
>>>>>> > Subject: Small dilemma; Need some advice
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >> 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
>>>>>> >
>>>>>
>>>
>
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