Scott, OB --
I sent out some Scotch 33 tape and a can of Liquid Electrical Tape via
Priority Mail this morning so you should have it by this weekend.
When you're putting a connector on a fitting or putting 2 PL-259's
together with a barrel (double female), take a pair of pliers and gently
tighten. You'll need 2 pair of pliers with the barrel connector. The point is
to seat it securely without damaging the connector. In QST this month, they
said that it should only be hand-tight. I disagree.
After the connector is seated, put 2 or 3 wraps of the Scotch electrical
tape over the connection. Have the last wrap go in an UPWARD direction (if
it's a vertical run). This puts the tape overlaps like shingles on a roof so
that the water runs over the coax. If you put it in the other way with the
last wrap going down, the water will run right into your joint.
When cutting the end of the tape, user a pair of dikes or razor knife or
do a clean tear with your fingernails. The point is don't stretch it until it
breaks - that will result in poor adhesion of the end of the tape and flagging
(that's where the end of the tape flaps in the breeze like a flag).
After you've cut the tape, let it relax before applying. If you apply
the end under tension, you'll get the aforementioned flagging.
Now you can coat the tape with the Liquid Electrical Tape. Apply
liberally with the built-in applicator brush. This will give you another
protective coating. This is the a 'belt-and-suspenders' scenario and a bomb-
proof joint.
If you want to put another couple layers of tape over that, feel free.
The Liquid Electrical Tape acts as a vapor barrier which will work fine like
the butyl rubber vapor wrap does.
73 and GL this weekend, Steve K7LXC
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