Here's some tape just for weather sealing coaxial connectors:

http://www.coaxseal.com/

If the tape is wide there is less chance of water intrusion. Hint: gently
heat connector with heat gun before applying tape to cook off moisture.

It's even used by the military!

On Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:53:02 -0700, "Stanley Tobasco"
wrote:

Here's some tape just for weather sealing coaxial connectors:

http://www.coaxseal.com/

If the tape is wide there is less chance of water intrusion. Hint: gently
heat connector with heat gun before applying tape to cook off moisture.

It's even used by the military!


Or one might just Google on "Self Amalgamating Tape" and discover that
the stuff has been around for years and years.

Funny how some folks just insist on re-discovering the wheel...
'
Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

Or one might just Google on "Self Amalgamating Tape" and discover that
the stuff has been around for years and years.

Funny how some folks just insist on re-discovering the wheel...
'
Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

Heh.

The web site makes it look like the goop/tape I have aboard, not (the
also-aboard) self-amalgamating (think tommy tape or rescue tape) stuff which
sticks only to itself and doesn't mold at all - but also comes off without
any residue, if you just slit it with a knife. Not particularly waterproof
unless you stretch the bejesus out of it and overlap a great deal, and even
then, I'm not sure SAT would be waterproof. I'm fairly sure the gooptape I
have would be. When I undid the mast-top connection, I had to sorta rub it
off, as it didn't come in one piece, at all, and clean out the knurls...
Makes sort of an ugly boot when you squeeze it. Should work fine, but not
SAT...

L8R

Skip, going to HD or Lowes for the 3M stuff to replenish my dwindling stock

--
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
See our galleries at www.justpickone.org/skip/gallery !
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"You are never given a wish without also being given the power to
make it come true. You may have to work for it however."
(and)
"There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in
its hand
(Richard Bach)

"Flying Pig" wrote in message
...

The web site makes it look like the goop/tape I have aboard, not (the
also-aboard) self-amalgamating (think tommy tape or rescue tape) stuff
which sticks only to itself and doesn't mold at all - but also comes off
without any residue, if you just slit it with a knife. Not particularly
waterproof unless you stretch the bejesus out of it and overlap a great
deal, and even then, I'm not sure SAT would be waterproof. I'm fairly
sure the gooptape I have would be. When I undid the mast-top connection,
I had to sorta rub it off, as it didn't come in one piece, at all, and
clean out the knurls... Makes sort of an ugly boot when you squeeze it.
Should work fine, but not SAT...


I would stay away from the butyl based tapes. Besides the adherence issues
there is also an outgassing problem which could create gas voids under the
tape and collect moisture. It is desirable to have it adhere to the
connector even though there may be some difficulty in removing it. When it
sticks to the connector there is a lot less chance of voids and water
pockets. Also if you don't connect the antenna ground to the mast (or any
other ground) up top you will get less corrosion, less noise in your
receive signal and the PIM (passive intermodulation distortion) in your
transmit signal will be kept down. Also consider using silver plated PL-259
connectors.
http://www.hamcq.com/coax-cable-coax.../prod_138.html
You can also change out your SO-239 connectors on the radio and antenna for
silver plate ones. http://www.universal-radio.com/CATAL...ts/plconn.html
.. If you want to go all out use high power N (Navy) connectors, silver
plated. They don't cost that much more and were developed by the Navy for
shipboard use. They have internal gasketing:
http://www.rfcafe.com/references/ele...nector-dwg.htm just to
keep the weather out.

On Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:38:41 -0500, "Flying Pig"
wrote:


Or one might just Google on "Self Amalgamating Tape" and discover that
the stuff has been around for years and years.

Funny how some folks just insist on re-discovering the wheel...
'
Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

Heh.

The web site makes it look like the goop/tape I have aboard, not (the
also-aboard) self-amalgamating (think tommy tape or rescue tape) stuff which
sticks only to itself and doesn't mold at all - but also comes off without
any residue, if you just slit it with a knife. Not particularly waterproof
unless you stretch the bejesus out of it and overlap a great deal, and even
then, I'm not sure SAT would be waterproof. I'm fairly sure the gooptape I
have would be. When I undid the mast-top connection, I had to sorta rub it
off, as it didn't come in one piece, at all, and clean out the knurls...
Makes sort of an ugly boot when you squeeze it. Should work fine, but not
SAT...

L8R

Skip, going to HD or Lowes for the 3M stuff to replenish my dwindling stock

Either we aren't talking about the same stuff or you have been using
it wrong as I originally came across self amalgamating tape when
working on an airfield lighting project. The runway and parking ramp
lighting cables ran in shallow trenches and were under water during
the rainy season. We used the self amalgamating tape to waterproof the
connections.


Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

On Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:04:59 -0700, "Stanley Tobasco"
wrote:


"Flying Pig" wrote in message
...

The web site makes it look like the goop/tape I have aboard, not (the
also-aboard) self-amalgamating (think tommy tape or rescue tape) stuff
which sticks only to itself and doesn't mold at all - but also comes off
without any residue, if you just slit it with a knife. Not particularly
waterproof unless you stretch the bejesus out of it and overlap a great
deal, and even then, I'm not sure SAT would be waterproof. I'm fairly
sure the gooptape I have would be. When I undid the mast-top connection,
I had to sorta rub it off, as it didn't come in one piece, at all, and
clean out the knurls... Makes sort of an ugly boot when you squeeze it.
Should work fine, but not SAT...


I would stay away from the butyl based tapes.

Bing or Google: "silicone tape"

Flying Pig wrote:
(the
also-aboard) self-amalgamating (think tommy tape or rescue tape) stuff which
sticks only to itself and doesn't mold at all - but also comes off without
any residue, if you just slit it with a knife. Not particularly waterproof
unless you stretch the bejesus out of it and overlap a great deal,
L8R

Skip, going to HD or Lowes for the 3M stuff to replenish my dwindling stock


3M sells various self amalgamating tapes using different rubbers.
The silicone rubber version that should be stretched 50% is sold as a
mine electrical tape where they have a certain interest in waterproofing
too.
But if you don't stretch a tape that is sold to be applied with stretch,
then you are in the position of a person buying a dead bolt lock that
complains it doesn't lock unless you turn the key to lock it.
Well, duh!

As to passing one group's opinions to another list for comment, this is
sailing close to a classical stirring ploy - Wilbur will be proud!

No reason you couldn't use older approaches: even friction tape
(bitumen-soaked linen tape) was good enough to keep a Pharoah pretty
fresh for 2500 years - and wiped lead was easily able to preserve the
PAPER wrapped phone cables of not so long ago....

But so much fuss over a $200 (tops?) buy....is this
obsessive/compulsive, or what? :-)


Brian W