A friend and I used direct-burial heat shrink tubing with some kind of sealing goo in it on a multi-piece antenna and did a PVC holder for the top end. We were pretty happy with it, but I've heard so much about how great the folded dipole antennas are that I was unsure if I was really missing out with poor performance. I've since moved from that town, but understand the antenna was change b/c a commercial antenna of some sort was available. I never found out if the Comet "survived" or if it was torn down and inspected.
I was honestly just considering a Diamond X50NA or a Hustler G6-270 so I wouldn't have to worry about joints or extra long flapping in the wind. There's a DB420 sticking out of the top of the tower -- I have the position directly below it, so I can side-mount and do whatever I want - and will be less likely to take a direct lightning strike. It is a tower on a farm for a farm repeater, and after running our two frequencies, I see we have little intermod issues to worry about. I also have a DB-420 I could use... Oh, decisions :) Thanks as usual for the input guys, it is invaluable to me. 73 DE N0MJS P.S. Ken, using dual-band and remote base is directly related to my post on the RC-210 list regarding the TM-271A a couple of days ago. On Mar 13, 2008, at 8:33 PM, Ken Arck wrote: > 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 > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > President and CTO - Arcom Communications > Makers of repeater controllers and accessories. > http://www.arcomcontrollers.com/ > Authorized Dealers for Kenwood and Telewave and > we offer complete repeater packages! > AH6LE/R - IRLP Node 3000 > http://www.irlp.net > "We don't just make 'em. We use 'em!" > > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Repeater-Builder/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Repeater-Builder/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
