Well, I can tell you how a friend of mine does it, but first: DISCLAIMER --
DO NOT TRY THIS, IT CAN BE DANGEROUS OR EVEN FATAL IF NOT DONE PROPERLY.
(of course, when you compare it to the potential danger of using a propane
torch at the top of a tower, it might not look so bad.)
My friend unplugs the coax at the antenna, attaches (via a homemade
SO239-to-AC-outlet-box adapter) a temperature-regulated soldering station
with a big tip, returns to the shack and attaches the other end of the coax
to a 110VAC outlet (via a homemade two-prong-plug-to-SO239 adapter), returns
to the antenna, solders away, turns off the iron, returns to the shack,
unplugs the coax from the AC, returns to the antenna, disconnects the
soldering iron, and reattaches the coax. Only three trips up and down the
tower! This can be reduced to one trip by utilizing a friend in the shack
and a pair of handy-talkies, but you really have to trust that your friend
will do exactly what you tell him/her (it could be too tempting for a
spouse, especially if you carry life insurance ;-)
I did this once in desperation during a contest (raining, in the dark) when
critters chewed through the coax where it attached to my lone ground-mounted
vertical 250 feet from the house. You have to be EXTREMELY careful in
fabricating your adapters not to connect the hot side of the AC to the
ground portion of the SO239 connectors (use a non-reversible two-pronged AC
plug), and, just in case, NEVER TOUCH THE CONNECTORS WHEN THE SETUP IS
PLUGGED IN. ALSO NOTE THAT THERE IS NO GROUND SAFETY WIRE IN THIS SETUP.
I DON'T RECOMMEND THAT ANYONE TRY THIS BECAUSE IT IS CLEARLY NOT SAFE AND
NOT COMPLIANT WITH ANY CODE STANDARDS AND I DON'T WANT TO GET SUED. I'M
DISCLAIMING ALL RESPONSIBILITY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE STUPID ENOUGH TO TRY THIS.
I just thought you might like to know how it has been done by foolish
people.
73, Dick, WC1M
-----Original Message-----
From: Matt--K7BG <aa7bg@3rivers.net>
To: towertalk@contesting.com <towertalk@contesting.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Wednesday, April 15, 1998 7:51 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] solder jobs up the tower
>I seem to have a flakey PL259 connection at the top of the tower.
>
>What do you use to solder up their? One of those radio shack torches? Any
>tips/hints or is this in the arhives somewhere?
>
>73, Matt--K7BG
>
>
>--
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--
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Search: http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search
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