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Message |
    
Sitm
Intermediate Member
Username: Sitm
Post Number: 240
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, April 02, 2009 - 11:21 am: | 
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Took my Imax down to replace the coax with nice new coax from copper electronics and thought that I would service the fiberglass antenna. It has been up there many moons but still has good standing wave and good performace. I noticed sometimes on rain soaked days my swr would rise just slightly and when I pulled it down from its 65 foot perch I noticed that on the second section where the metal meets the fiberglass there is a very very tiny crack. The silicone at that joint was dry as well and the fiberglass was loose from the metal. I would like to repair and rejuvinate the imax. I know there are antenna guru masters out there with all the answers. Please don't say order a new one because I actually am putting another antenna at the other end of the 80 foot house so I will have one in bedroom and radio room. So........repair repair........repair. |
Sitm
Intermediate Member
Username: Sitm
Post Number: 248
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 10:12 am: |
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I took the antenna down, sanded it, repaired the cracked portion of the antenna, resanded it. Applied three coats of fiberglass resin to it. I let it dry and then spray painted it with four coats of white paint and let it set for about five hours. I put the antenna up about 70 feet and now the standing wave is about 1.3 to 1.7 through out the band. I rained the other day and we had wind up in the 45 mph range. The standing wave stayed the same. Now it has been about three weeks since I put it up. The standing wave is now 1.1 to 1.5 throughout, I guess it must have settled a bit. So, these antenna can be taken down repaired and returned to their perch on a tower with very good results. |
Moderator136
Moderator
Username: Moderator136
Post Number: 1445
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Friday, April 17, 2009 - 8:36 pm: |
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Thank you Sitm
For your Post. Good information ! Mine is only 2 years old (My 2nd one). Glad you posted. I bet its good for the next cycle.
Thanks
Hal~Moderator136~KCØSVC
CEF#0136/CEF HAM#23 ~ CVC#0004
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Sitm
Intermediate Member
Username: Sitm
Post Number: 257
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 28, 2009 - 12:45 pm: |
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Update on this antenna. This antenna has never worked this well. The standing wave on channel 40 is 1.00 on a digital meter, 1.08 on channel 1. Up in the 10 meter band with 100 watts out it is 1.32. I pitched an old antron 99 years ago that I now know that I could have fixed for about 10 dollars and some effort. |
