Per inquiry from Jeff, K7XQ :
Two important things to note from the Hy-Gain instructions :
1) NEVER climb the Hy-Tower ! It is not intended to support the weight
of even one person. !
The insulator is already ruined at the point it started to burn,
and there
is no chance for anything else to burn. So you are literally
risking your
life for no reason. (If the base insulators fail with the extra
weight)
2) You did not state if you are using a base loading coil or the 100+
foot
wire and trap extension. But I will assume you were using a base
loading
coil. In this case the tower is only rated for 100 W power for
the very
reason that the two insulators Hy-Gain provides are only capable
of that.
(If you use the 40m trap and 100+ foot wire option it should be
capable
of a KW.)
If you want to get it fixed so you can operate 160M, here is what
I did.
I replaced the original insulators with custom-made Teflon
insulators from
a local fabricating shop here in the Houston area. You will have
to take the
tower down and disassemble it. I had the fab shop make a one
foot long
section of virgin Teflon that is exactly the inside diameter of
the pipe
section OD that it has to go over, and 1/2" thick. They then cut
that into
two 6" pieces. A couple of years ago it cost me $65 for the
work.
( If you can't find a local place to do it (recommended) contact
me.)
It would be good idea to take the piece of aluminum tubing that
the insulators
will go over to the fab shop with you so they can get the inside
diameter right.
You will also need to enlarge the hole in the plates it goes
through at the top.
I did this with a saber saw and a metal cutting blade, and I
touched up the
raw exposed steel with cold Galvanizing spray. Leave a 1/4" gap
to insulator.
Works great on 160m with no more chance of voltage breakdown and fire
!
73,
Bob W5XC
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