In a message dated 1/10/2008 11:19:20 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
towertalk-request@contesting.com writes:
> I am doing some antenna work and seemed to remember a discussion about the
1/8" pop rivets that Force 12 uses in their antennas. Is the some special
type of pop rivets or are they the ones that you can get over at Home
Depot/Lowes?
Umm, I remember something about the discussion - try the archives at
_www.contesting.com_ (http://www.contesting.com) - but don't remember the
specifics. Something to do with the mandrel.
I think that rivets that hold airplanes together are different
(stronger?) but I doubt that using typical hardware store rivets on a ham
antenna is
going to cause any problems.
> Incidentally, I remember a lot of talk about the pop rivets "wallowing
out"
and getting loose. The C3E I took down has been at 125 feet for about 5
years and there is no evidence of that at all even though we do have our
share of wind here about 75 miles from the Texas coast.
Yes, it's a common Texas story and it sounds like you've been lucky.
You can do a better job than the factory by adding a second row of rivets
opposite the factory ones or even add a third row (every 120 degrees like guy
wires) and then the aluminum should fall apart before the joints do.
Texas hams use to call KLM antennas Konstantly Losing Metal.
Cheers,
Steve K7LXC
TOWER TECH
**************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape.
http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489
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