Agree on the use of quality trailer connectors.
Here on the beach one set for a T2X served faithfully for 11 years in a
harsh salt air and wet environment. The salt air eventually got to it but it
took 11 years. Did not seal where the wires enter the rear of the block and
this is where the corrosion came from. My mistake. Will replace it with
another trailer connector set - but this time will further cover the set
with sleeving and seal the sleeving on the cable. My set is about 3 feet
from the rotator up on the tower. Have a similar connector on the van and
work trailer and they have been there since 2006, but I keep the contacts
coated with CorrosionBlock and on these I had sealed where the wires enter
the rubber block back with the 3M liquid seal. Keep it simple and properly
sealed.
Don W7WLL
-----Original Message-----
From: Patrick Greenlee
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2014 4:57 AM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] TowerTalk Digest, Vol 143, Issue 10
This sort of need for a M/F connector pair with good weatherproof
characteristics has been threshed out here a lot not that long ago. Many
folks, myself included, use the automotive trailer connectors (4 pin). They
are not expensive and work well. I use them for my 8 conductor rotator
control cables. By putting a male and a female on each end to be joined you
have a goof proof polarized weatherproof connection. Some of us truly anal
types add tape, coax seal and or whatever to further weatherproof the
connections.
These connectors are available at trailer supply places, autoparts stores,
Walmart (RV section) and so forth.
73,
Patrick NJ5G
-----Original Message-----
From: Larry Stowell
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2014 6:02 AM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] TowerTalk Digest, Vol 143, Issue 10
Bill.
I had one of the first four element steppir and they originally
used a section of PVC pipe with two and caps and a slot in the bottom
part of the two. The original stepper motors had pigtails and you terminated
all of these wires into two nylon terminal strips and connected the matching
wires from the control cable these wires and terminal strip were placed
inside
the PVC pipe. The pipe was attached to the boom via a stainless strap clamp.
Didn't move the ends and made sure the slot was facing down. The antenna
was up almost 7 years(until lightning got it) they sent a little supply of
dielectric grease and the connections were good when the antenna came down.
I used a variation of this method at the base of a 50 foot tower for the
rotor line.
I had the splice new cable and I simply took a short length of PVC and one
cap mounted it with the cap up and strapped it to the leg of the tower and
put the splice up in the tube and that was out there for several years
with no problems. Depending on the size of the connectors will determine
the diameter of the PVC pipe.
73
Larry K1ZW
Message: 1
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2014 12:37:41 -0800
From: Bill Straw via TowerTalk <towertalk@contesting.com>
To: "towertalk@contesting.com" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Rotor cable / Steppir cable connectors
Message-ID:
<1415219861.25659.YahooMailNeo@web141501.mail.bf1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
I'm spending way too much time trying to find what I need, time to ask...
I need to be able to break apart my rotor cable, so I need a
weatherproof M/F set for 8 conductor 18 AWG.
Also I need to break apart the Steppir control cable, 12 conductor + shield
22 AWG.
These disconnects are at the top of the tower so a weatherproof M/F set
is very important.
73, Bill KO7SS
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
|