Weather proofing coax

[Mac]

I have a direct fed antenna.  What is the best way to insulate the open end of the coax so water and weather cant get into the coax, and find its way into the radio 

Thanks Mac

[KD6VXI]

I have a direct fed antenna.  What is the best way to insulate the open end of the coax so water and weather cant get into the coax, and find its way into the radio 

Thanks Mac

N connector mounted to a piece of plexiglas or G10 if you need to preserve isolation, otherwise, on an aluminum bracket that can be mounted to the boom / whatever.

Coax Seal will work, but you better do it right.

Also, some of the JB Weld epoxies work in a pinch, just make DARN sure you don't get one of the conductive ones...  Some are impregnated with metal shavings to enhance conductivity.

--Shane

[WA1GFZ]

I slice the outer jacket back about a foot. Then work about a foot of the shield off the center dielectric. Now cut the sliced outer jacket a few inches shorter . The outer jacket goes over the shield so you form a "Y" with shield and outer jacket on one side and the center the other. pack a glob of coax seal at the base of the Y and partially up the shield side to block water.
Now tightly tape all three sides of the Y so the coax seal is under a little pressure under the tape. At the bottom of the Y I use small rope in a series of knots to support the weight of the coax so the conductors are not the stressed. The small rope is now tied to the center insulator. I like the insulators with a third hole for the support rope. I also wrap each sides of the Y around the wires a couple times before I attach the conductors for added support. I have an antenna out in the woods for about 20 years done like that.

[Mike/W8BAC]

I recommend Butyl rope or tape sealant. This stuff is used to hold your windshield in place and seal water out. It's the same stuff sold as Coax Seal brand product.
Go to your local auto parts store and ask for it. It is much cheaper than Coax Seal and a roll will last a life time.
This stuff is very good for coax fittings but I recommend you use black electrical tape on the joint first and than the butyl over the tape. If you have to service the joint later you can cut through the butyl and tape with a razor blade and peal the hole mess off clean. If you don't use tape the butyl will never come off.
Here is a link.

Mike

http://www.press-seal.com/products/showlist.php?type_id=1&cat_id=3

[WBear2GCR]

Some "doctor's gloves" (usually latex or nitrile) for the hands, then preferably non-acetic acid cure silicone rubber. GE used to have a brand called Sil-Pruf, dunno who has what, but someone makes it or the equivalent. The acetic acid will corrode the copper, so not the best over long periods of use.

Use the silicone rubber to squish it between and into any gaps between the coax/inner dielectric/jacket area. After it cures, then use the coax seal or equivalent. Lots of companies make a tape type seal, and even a goop type butyl seal. Be careful, not all are non-conductive, most are. The Telco uses it a whole lot, so if you know someone in the Telco who has it, that's a good source.

The point of the squished in silicone rubber is to seal the inner junctions completely. The outer tape type sealer keeps the moisture out mostly. This is more likely to be 110% sealed than the butyl tape alone.

I use a polycarbonate sheet, about 8" x 8" at the center of my dipole. Mounted an SO-239 onto it, and feed the ant from that with heavy solid copper. It forms the center insulator. The coax is strain relieved by just 3 cable ties that hold the coax flush to the polycarb sheet (holes drilled a bit tight to the coax for a good grip). A loop to the PL-259/SO-239 keeps the strain off the connector. I used the silicone + "coax seal" (tape) method on both sides of the connection area.

Been up for a long time now...

All my direct connection dipoles would break where the center conductor meets the ant, because that wire is relatively hard, and it doesn't like the weather nor the constant vibration and motion from the wind and elements...

                 _-_-bear

[Mac]

Thanks to all.  Now I can get things going.  Had a nightmare about water leaking into my transmitter.
Again thanks

73 Mac

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

You won't get any better or easier than this.

http://www.plastidip.com/industrial_solutions/Liquid_Tape_-_Electrical_Insulation


If the connection may rub up against something place a wrap of cold shrink tape around the connection once the liquid tape dries.

[WBear2GCR]

dunno if plastidip stands up well to the outdoors or not...

         _-_-bear

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Having used it for decades, I can say that it does.

dunno if plastidip stands up well to the outdoors or not...

         _-_-bear

[W3SLK]

Rubber tape works good on my connections. Someone mentioned using a N connector. I've seen where the pin would not make good contact during cold weather condition, (expansion/contraction). I know they are good enough for the military but I would make sure I had MIL-Spec connectors on at the very least.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

N connectors are waterproof. That doesn't mean the point where the cable goes into the connector will be waterproof, depending on how it was installed.