Hey, Steve:
If I can get to the 160 meter CW contest tonight, do you know where I can
get a list of grid squares, so that I know the QTH of any station I might
work?
73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Forst" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2011 9:24 AM
Subject: Re: Small dilemma; Need some advice
> Good deal Tom, Hope to catch you on some of the 160 contests this
> season.
>
> Don't know if you can find the butyl rubber locally, perhaps a search on
> e-bay will turn up something cheap.
>
> Here is a link I had sent you some time ago:
>
> http://www.championradio.com/shop/Weatherproofing.6
>
>
> I've never bought anything from him, but it is run by K7LXC who has a
> tower install business in the Pacific Northwest and he also runs the
> Towertalk mailing list.
>
> My personal preference is to use silicone self vulcanizing tape.
> (sometimes called cold fusion, or splicing tape) and then several layers
> of 3m Super 88 or 33.
>
>
> As for the pulley thing: There has to be a way for you to get your
> dipoles up and down by yourself. Put your thinking cap on.
>
> 73, Steve KW3A
>
>
> On 10/22/2011 8:49 AM, Tom Behler wrote:
>> Hey Steve:
>>
>> I know for a fact that my friend did the tape in the shingle-like method
>> you
>> suggest. He is a perfectionist that way.
>>
>> In the "should of" department, I can't seem to find those darn butyl
>> sheets
>> anywhere around here in semi-rural Central Lower Michigan. But, I'll
>> keep
>> looking. As for pulleys, according to my friend, pulleys don't seem
>> practical for the current 160-meter sloper arrangement. I will gently
>> quiz
>> him on that today, since there might still be time to make a change if we
>> want to.
>>
>> Finally, thanks for the "heads up" on the 160 meter CW contest tonight.
>> I'd
>> have to find out my grid square, but I can certainly get on QRZ and look
>> it
>> up, so that won't be an issue.
>>
>> Will keep you posted.
>>
>> 73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>>
>> ----- 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
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>
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