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Message |
    
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 1439
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 7:51 pm: | 
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Has anyone had trouble with rain water leaking inside their Predator? Any ideas how to prevent it? |
Jameslarson
Intermediate Member
Username: Jameslarson
Post Number: 190
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 8:02 pm: |
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Inside? How and where is the water getting inside? As far as I can tell, there is no way for water to get in. What type of predator do you have? Double coil? Single coil? How long shaft? Thanks. |
Rldrake
Intermediate Member
Username: Rldrake
Post Number: 168
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 8:14 pm: |
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Assuming that a "predator" is some sort of antenna with a loading coil, or wound radiator...
does it have a vent hole? is it plugged with trash or debris?
Is such coil/radiator installed upside down ?
With the vent hole at the top, rather than at the bottom ? |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 2959
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 8:46 pm: |
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yeah, 'wire, HOW & WHERE is water getting inside it??? how do you know it is getting water in it? why do you think water is getting in it? mine has been through blizzards & near-typhoons, 1+ foot of flooding rains, completely iced over & a combination of all above PLUS salt water spray while sitting on the beach during that above combo. my SWR's are 1.1:1 or less & have NOT changed in ANY adverse conditions that mother nature has thrown at it.
email the 'builder'...he is the 'sam lewis' of antennas & will give you answers. |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 1441
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 2:19 pm: |
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Well the swr has not changed from it as far as I can tell. The antenna is installed on my trunk and when I open the trunk the antenna is in a horizontal position. Now where the coil is attached going inside the plastic part that seperates the 2 halves I noticed water dripping out. Also if I remove the antenna I can shake drops of water out of the bottom from where the 3\8 threaded stud is attached.
Now we have had a lot of rain recently and I have also washed my car a few times. I'm thinking the water is getting in where the stinger goes in. cause that is the only possible place a can detect a possible leak. It has no vent hole. Would it be wise to drill a small vent hole somewhere at the bottom? I'm not really sure cause I would want the hole at the very botton and there is hardware down there!
When I first installed the Predator brand new I noted some grey colored grease while setting SWR. The grease was on the end of the stinger. Maybe this grease is used to seal that stinger hole?
Oh yeah, I have a single coil 17 inch shaft from bottom of coil.
Its not a tremendous amount of water really ,and it has definatley not harmed the performance. Its the principle, it should not be there! Over time its possible it can get worse. I remember a while back another member had this problem. Oh well. I'll email the builder and see what he has to say, thanks guys,73 |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 2962
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 3:33 pm: |
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i wouldn't drill a hole anywhere til getting in touch with kale. we've had a LOT of rain here lately, after reading your post, today i flipped my mag mount off & shook the antenna-NADA. no water..... |
Wildrat
Advanced Member
Username: Wildrat
Post Number: 909
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 8:02 pm: |
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Just wait till it dries out and seal it with some polyurethane sealer that you can get from Lowe's or home depot. I think the brand is PAL. It is in the same area that the silicone rubber sealers are. This is the same type of sealer they use on windshields, or you could go to the marine store and get some 5200 sealer. The latter is cheaper though. I am looking at mine. I would put the sealer at both ends of the shrink on the inner coil. Where the stinger slides in you could use some Ox-Gard or a dielectric water proofing filler that you can get at some CB stores and ham fest. |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 1442
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 11:53 am: |
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Yeah I'm not gonna drill a hole. I was looking at the antenna today and the only place water could possibley seep in is at the stinger insert. I'm going to use Wildrats idea.I have some dielectric grease that I will coat the bottom of the stinger with. It should prevent any water from getting in there.
Its possible that I'm over reacting over a few drops of water. |
