[time-nuts] GPS antenna installation problem

[Steve Rooke]

2009/3/2 Magnus Danielson <magnus at rubidium.dyndns.org>:
> Steve Rooke skrev:
>> Gaffa tape the cable to the supporting pipe with a small drip loop
>> into the connector.
>
> No. The glue of Gaffa tape ages. Also, it is not very nice to the cable.

Buy decent gaffa tape, not the duct tape variant :)

Sorry, I agree with you really Magnus. I was more indicating that the
cable does need to be supported by being attached to the mast
structure than have all that weight on the poor connector. Gaffa is
great for temporary work where is is tough and sticks well, and is
easy to tear-down an installation.

Using black wide cable ties for the antenna cable would be an idea and
be easy to take down too.

73, Steve

> Gaffa should not be used for permanent installations. For temporary
> installations I prefer using a strap (no the narrow plastic straps, but
> the wither weave-type, not sure what they are called in english) running
> at least one turn around the cable. Dropping cable that way helps. For
> longer runs the cable should be strapped to some fixed structure or a
> steel wire and done in such a way that the cable is not fully stretched,
> so that each strap-point actually takes the force of the cable downto
> the next strap-point. This way the cable does not get to carry heavy
> loads, which it is not designed for, the dielectrum does not get a firm
> grip around the center wire...
>
> In general Gaffa should be used conservative and only for short periods
> of time as removing the glue becomes an issue and even more annoying as
> it has dried out and hardend to the surface but lost the grip to the
> actual tape... which makes the grip brittle.

There's too many sensible people on this forum :)

> Cheers,
> Magnus
>
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-- 
Steve Rooke - ZL3TUV & G8KVD & JAKDTTNW
Omnium finis imminet