Ridgidisng

[Christopher17]

Interested in ridgidisng the SPT500 radials and radiator, some of the joints are swedged and some are not, the swedged joints don't give you much to work with, thinking double clamps for these, I'm not comfortable with drilling for pop rivets , not really enough material there to get a good bite in my opinion, would like to see photos or links with more how to emphasis, what to do and what not to do
Thanks,
2ET703 operator Christopher

 

[Marconi]

Interested in ridgidisng the SPT500 radials and radiator, some of the joints are swedged and some are not, the swedged joints don't give you much to work with,

I agree 17,

I always found old antennas I took down with swagging, screws, and bolts tended to fail around the holes in the thin tubing. Slotting seemed to me the best bet, and at least 2 good solid SS hose clamps seemed more secure when spaced apart a little.

Swagging is better for wind resistance no doubt, but IMO that just produced even thinner metal around the swag and they would break at the bolt holes from wind and weather and the thin metal would just fold over and/or break.

To say nothing about ever hopping to get sheet metal screws out, and removing the metal tubing after the holes were all buggered up with little shards of aluminum getting into the joints...again after waving around constantly in the wind and weather for a time.

Just my observations.