In rebuilding a 40 meter antenna I found the element ends (2") were grooved
by over tightening the U bolts. I purchased an exhaust pipe expander kit
with various size dies to take the wrinkles out. It worked great. You can
even reach inside a long way by using a long extension for the socket wrench
used on the expander.
73
Gary K4FMX
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
> Grant Saviers
> Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2018 4:06 PM
> To: towertalk@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Spun director
>
> My fixes on two A4S -
>
> 1. straighten the C shaped boom clamps so the ears are parallel, I did
> this with a vise.
> 2. drill cross holes in near the tip the ears for long 6-32 bolts. Make
> sure to leave space for the u-bolt.
> Tighten the 6-32's so the ears won't splay out when tightened on the
> boom. Use nylocks.
> 3. I needed to replace the fiberglass center as the sun ate it up.
> 4. If the boom is deformed from tightening the driven element u-bolts
> then cut out and
> replace that section with triple sleeving. The end elements had this
> problem but with plenty of Penetrox and mallet against a wood block I
> drove a Al tubing sleeve inside the boom on both ends.
> 5. I also had to cut out the center of the reflector, triple sleeve it
> since it was bent from u-bolt tightening.
>
> These two are now Field Day beams and have been used for FD for a while.
> Overly
> enthusiastic assemblers caused most of the problems. The element/boom
> clamps are a weak design to start with and my elements did rotate in
> normal use. Yes, the boom wall thickness is
> not great.
>
> Grant KZ1W
>
> On 2/17/2018 8:30 AM, Mike Smith VE9AA wrote:
> > My ancient A3S (which I think I may have bought from VE9HF 25 yrs ago;
> and
> > it was old when I got it) keeps spinning the director. No matter how
> many
> > times I tighten it - we get a good wind and there it goes. It's
> currently
> > almost vertical.
> >
> >
> >
> > Has anyone had any luck putting a hardwood (or PVC?, or other?) plug
> in the
> > end of the boom and tighten'r down against that and had this fix
> actually
> > work?
> >
> >
> >
> > I feel the drinking straws at MacDonalds are likely thicker than the
> booms
> > on these old Cushcrafts, so I think that's really the problem.
> >
> >
> >
> > I think it's a little bit out of warranty ;-) hee hee
> >
> >
> >
> > Ideas?
> >
> >
> >
> > Mike VE9AA
> >
> >
> >
> > Mike, Coreen & Corey
> >
> > Keswick Ridge, NB
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> >
> >
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> > TowerTalk@contesting.com
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> >
>
>
>
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