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Master Chief...

DXman

DXman

Yes, that's 3100 degrees F. Nine yrs of hard work.
Apr 5, 2005
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West Coast - Washington
Concerning the Maco 5/8, a couple questions.

1) Why couldn't the tap wire be changed out using a mini 8 that is sheilded and not connecting the shield but just the conductor? It seems like to me that it be more efficient this way.... less loss.

2) If the above way won't work then how about covering the tap wire with "heat skrink" or "clear electrical coating" of some sort? I was thinking of covering it with "liquid electric" sealant or Krylon Electrical coating which comes in a spray can.
 

Larry with your concerns here, why not just feed the antenna using a pig tail direct to the coil? This way you will produce a similar result with no breaks.

Some will tell us that even using a coax connector adds to loss. Personally, I don't think it makes much if any difference. I don't know how we could effectively measure the difference anyway.
 
i have been thinking of something like this:

from bolt 1A i'll go ground and 1F center of the coaxial

i got the picture from MC's Gallery from sigma 11 antenna. thats my idea but MC said no already

http://forum.worldwidedx.com/viewtopic.php?t=14247&start=15

i hope this helps

coaxlj4.jpg


58baseys6.png
 
So Robalo, did you cover the tap wire with anything or did you just leave it exposed to elements?

It looks like a balun in your picture on the other thread, yes or no?
 
DXman,
The long and the short of it is that the 'tap' wire is part of the electrical circuit. If you change it's electrical properties, then you've changed the circuit. That can be either 'good' or 'bad', just depends on which 'properties' you've changed and how much.
One of 'those' properties is the inductance/capacitance contributed to the circuit by the part that's being changed. Basically, how long and how close to other 'stuff'.
Other than as protection from corrosion, the coax braid/covering does no good, and the braid can cause things to get 'odd' in odd ways. If you know how to correct for that 'oddness', no big deal, probably. If not, well... at least it'll keep you off the streets trying to figure the @#$ thing out.
The purpose of that 'tap' wire is to make a good electrical (and mechanical) connection to some point on the 'ring'/coil. As long as it does that, and as long as it's strong enough to support it's self, not get blown away/out of adjustment, and as long as it doesn't rust to dust in the forseeable future, make it out of whatever you have handy. (Paint it like a snake, it'll keep the birds off of it.)
- 'Doc
 
DXman said:
Concerning the Maco 5/8, a couple questions.

1) Why couldn't the tap wire be changed out using a mini 8 that is shielded and not connecting the shield but just the conductor? It seems like to me that it be more efficient this way.... less loss.
Click to expand...
Other than protecting the inner conductor for a short period of time, there would be no advantage to doing this. Over time, water would work its way in there anyway.

DXman said:
2) If the above way won't work then how about covering the tap wire with "heat shrink" or "clear electrical coating" of some sort? I was thinking of covering it with "liquid electric" sealant or Krylon Electrical coating which comes in a spray can.
Click to expand...
This would protect the wire from the elements. I use Permatex "Ultra Black" where the wire meets the connector and completely encapsulate the clamp on the ring in order to keep moisture out of the clamp. The ring clamp is a weak spot in my opinion! It does not completely make contact with the aluminum ring and will allow moisture to get in. I actually removed this clamp once and used a pop rivet through the ring connector, directly securing it to the loop (I used a snug zip-tie to hold the ring connector to the loop during the tuning process)! When I have used the clamp, I use Noalox where the clamp meets the ring (and at ALL aluminum joints!).

Insulating a wire actually changes its velocity factor. High power lines up on the power poles are uninsulated so they can carry more power for a longer distance with a smaller wire size.

Will insulating the small wire on the V58 hurt anything? Probably not. I know people who have used a small braid to up their power handling capability. The problem with braid is that moisture will work its way inside the individual wires and corrode the conductor. You can cover the braid with "Ultra Black" to prevent this.

Using heat shrink tubing or tape will not keep moisture out. Coax Seal may work for a while, as would liquid electrical tape. UV breakdown being the only limiting factor.

Leaving it alone has also worked for many people for a very long time.
 
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Marconi said:
Larry with your concerns here, why not just feed the antenna using a pig tail direct to the coil? This way you will produce a similar result with no breaks.
Click to expand...
You could do this, but not with a pigtail. A pigtail would also have a connector which is argued to cause a .5 db loss.

The Jo-Gunn antenna says to strip the end of your coax and connect it DIRECTLY to the gamma match (Son-of-a-Gun), just as suggested. The guy I got my Son-of-a-Gun from stripped hardline and made connection to the antennas!

Robalo, I didn't say you couldn't. I said:
Master Chief said:
Yes you can, but I wouldn't.
Click to expand...
In other words, I'd just use the stock connector (or an N-connector). Its a V58 after all. Why go through the hassle? If you are SERIOUS about your antenna, you would be running an I-10K, which comes with a connector, and is PROVEN to handle up to 25K.
 
Well thanks guys, got the answers I was looking for.

Will put this thing up in a couple of weeks, weather permitting of course.
Master Chief I got the info you posted earlier on tuning it, so I guess I am all set.

Thanks again guys.
 
isn't the only differents between the Maco Alpha V-5/8s and the 5K version of the same antenna simply the size of the wire ? What would you say that wire was ? about a 14 gage ? and then the bigger is 10 gage or something like that ? That wire never really seemed like it was anything special to me. I think it's very interesting when it comes to these antenna's , I've more then likely have been through a half of dozen of them over the years (weather they were mine or somebody else's) I've known guys to run the same damned antenna for 10 to 20 years without any problems what so ever (or at least of what they were aware of ) They all worked great !! and nothing but the parts out of the box was used to assemble them. I just don't get it sometimes with you guys ? If it works , you might try not to fix it. And MC , God bless you man ! but I also think a Alpha V-5/8s can be SERIOUS enough for some :) Those I-10Ks would take all my aluminum cans and newspapers and then some. Peace
 
Switch Kit said:
isn't the only difference between the Maco Alpha V-5/8s and the 5K version of the same antenna simply the size of the wire?
Click to expand...
As I stated in another thread, the only difference between the two antennas is the base section tubing and the insulator. The 14ga wire is identical.

Switch Kit said:
I just don't get it sometimes with you guys? If it works, you might try not to fix it. And MC, God bless you man! but I also think a Alpha V-5/8s can be SERIOUS enough for some :) Those I-10Ks would take all my aluminum cans and newspapers and then some. Peace
Click to expand...
I've seen antennas go up for years without problems, and others start to come apart after only a few years. Usually because of assembly errors (user error!). Since its not always easy to bring the antenna back down to repair it, why not fix the "weak links" before it goes up. As I said, its only a V58; build it with the parts out of the box. I've also said the V58 is a great antenna and always recommend it when a person can't or won't step up to the I-10K.
 

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