At 06:28 PM 3/13/2008, Paul Plack wrote:
Cort,
(1) Can be addressed by using antennas with one-piece radomes. In
theory, the right preparation to seal junctions might also work. In
long-term installations, the gel-coat on the radomes will break down
under UV radiation from the sun, followed by the fiberglass, which
may allow water migration through the radome.
<-----I've always done this (wrap the joints first with the sealing
goop, then electrical tape over that and finally a tie wrap at the
outer end of the tape to prevent it from unravelling with time) and
have never had water penetration. Not once.
(2) Broken internal connections can develop quickly if a fiberglass
radome antenna is top-mounted on a tower. If it's side-mounted, with
a brace for the top to stop waving in the wind, they can last much longer.
<---Yep, Support the top with something non-conductive to keep the
antenna from swingin' in the breeze goes a long way at increasing
longevity (my oldest Diamond still in repeater service is almost 10 years old).
Ken
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