FROZEN OVER ANTENNA?

[Sonar]

Can you still get out on it? Maybe the antenna turned into a big dummy load. If you do nothing, it will surely be a problem again. I would give it a once over before the cold snaps again. Check everything you can, maybe you will spot something obvious like a cracked antenna or something. If everything looks good the tape up the connector and see what happens.

Both the sonar on AM, and The Madison on SSB get out fine. I haven't asked any locals if my signal has changed, assuming that damage to the antenna would have caused my signal to drop to where someone would notice. But no one has told me that my signal dropped. Although some of my locals might not mention it if it did drop but nothing seriously lower than what my signal normally would be to them. So it definitely didn't turn into a dummy load. It receives just as well as it did before the issue, and received while the issue was in full swing.

 

[Sonar]

I don't get into making video gates, but thought making a quick one in order to show my dead key swr, and where it goes when i modulate would make it interesting if and when the original issue occurs again.
If, and when it does I will make another gate showing how the, swr and outputl were affected after the single digit temps, and snow.
Once again I did nothing to figure out what the issue might've been. I just decided to warm up the rig and amp (Palomar 350z) before going out to the yard in order to begin the process of tracking down the problem.
Thanks to everyone who helped me with advice on what to do.

 

[Onelasttime]

I wouldn't have one. Too expensive for what you get. The elements remain full length regardless of tuning thus windload remains high even when shortening the elements to 10m during high winds. The motors are expensive and the beryllium-copper tape elements have been known to seize. A lot of money for the few benefits they offer IMHO.

I do not even want to know how much the beryllium-copper tape is. Is just copper today or is it still alloyed with beryllium? Dangerous stuff to machine and work with but not so bad alloying. Most copper alloys that once used it have eliminated it due to cost.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I do not even want to know how much the beryllium-copper tape is. Is just copper today or is it still alloyed with beryllium? Dangerous stuff to machine and work with but not so bad alloying. Most copper alloys that once used it have eliminated it due to cost.

They still use it. It is required to maintain strength as well as flexibility without fatigue setting in as they constantly wind and unwind in all temperatures.

 

[Sonar]

I do not even want to know how much the beryllium-copper tape is. Is just copper today or is it still alloyed with beryllium? Dangerous stuff to machine and work with but not so bad alloying. Most copper alloys that once used it have eliminated it due to cost.

Why is it dangerous to machine?

 

[357]

my imax is doing the same thing as yours.
when it rains its 1.4 and dry is 1.2.

Obviously they make them like crap now. My last one was good and never budged even if it was on fire.
/sarcasm

 

[Unit 194]

my imax is doing the same thing as yours.
when it rains its 1.4 and dry is 1.2.

Obviously they make them like crap now. My last one was good and never budged even if it was on fire.
/sarcasm

My IMAX has been up (chimney mounted) for approximately 18 years without a problem. During that time it's withstood rain, snow, and Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

 

[Sonar]

my imax is doing the same thing as yours.
when it rains its 1.4 and dry is 1.2.

Obviously they make them like crap now. My last one was good and never budged even if it was on fire.
/sarcasm

I'd be happy with a 1.4..
Just as I predicted the problem has returned. On Friday we had some very light snow flurries. They only fell for about 10 minutes. And the rain we had before that didn't affect the SWR. I don't think the snow flurries is What affected the SWR. We had some really Gusty winds. Maybe about 40 miles per hour. I'm actually beginning to believe that my pl-259 on the antenna is loose. I'm hoping that's all it is. If it's not I'm not going to go nuts having someone helping me with what might take hours to figure out. If it's not a loose pl-259, and my coax checks out good with the meter I purchased, I'm just going to buy a new IMAX 2000. It'll only take about half hour to put it together, mounted on the Mast and stand it back up again. The SWR didn't reach the 3 that it did during the single-digit temps and the one foot of snow, but it's up at the two point. At least it was on Friday during the heavy winds. I'm going to be busy until about 6 p.m.. after that I'm going to check out the SWR. There's no wins and the temps are somewhere above 30 today. If the meter I purchase shows that the coax is having an issue I will cut approximately 3 ft of it off and install a new pl-259. That would obviously be the best outcome for me as I won't have to buy another antenna. And I'm certainly not going to purchase another hundred and ten feet of LMR 400. I don't recall what I paid for it when I purchased it but it was fairly expensive. I will get it straightened out. It just sucks when you have to rely on others. I have many friends and family you don't mind doing anything for me, but having to ask one of them to do something that's hobby related bothers me a bit. It is what it is and I relied on family and friends for quite some time now. So I will definitely have somebody in the yard sometime between Thursday and The Weeknd. I actually have a brand new unopened a 99 in the garage, but the IMAX works so much better at 10 feet off the ground then the a 99 did. I gained an s unit on receive and transmit when I went from the a 99 to the IMAX. The pl-259 actually did it come loose once already, and I'm hoping that just what happened this time. Besides the test meter for the coax I also purchased that coax non moisture tape. Whether it's a loose pl-259 or I need a new IMAX I will be wrapping the pl-259 with that tape. Always something! 73 s

 

[357]

I got lmr400 too and I wasnt too happy with the aluminum core.
Now I'm wondering.

The solder dont have alot of room in the tip to make a good bond....hmm

It would be a mega pain to check the other end...

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I got lmr400 too and I wasnt too happy with the aluminum core.
Now I'm wondering.

The solder dont have alot of room in the tip to make a good bond....hmm

It would be a mega pain to check the other end...

What is wrong with an aluminum core? It is copper plated. that's all you need. I run LDF4 and it has a copper plated aluminum core and is GREAT cable. The L44 series connectors have a solder on tip that bonds very well to the centre core. It is not meant to be flexed of course but no cable with a solid core is including pure copper cores.

 

[357]

I was just thinking it was solid copper.

 

[KangMudDuck]

Have this issue with a Siro Gainmaster after an ice storm, 3 SWR. I also coated the fiberglass with a clear fluoropolymer with a silicone to make the surface slick. The trees are completely covered in ice, the antenna is only iced on what I guess is the leading edge, about a half inch wide. Pulled down the push up mast, cut the tape and inspected the PL 259, all looked good, put some more grease on the threads and re-taped it. Also inspected the connections at the lightning arrestor, can't really tell if moisture got in there, but couldn't see any ice inside. Also checked the coax run to see if animals were gnawing on it. After inspection and re-greasing and re-taping everything, tested it and got a 10 SWR! I went back an hour later and back to 3.

Could it be a possibility water got into the fiberglass and froze up? I did not coat the coil on the antenna, it was completely covered in ice, had to knock it all off. Once it gets a little warmer I am taking the antenna down and bringing it inside to thaw it out. If that doesn't work, I would suspect there is a short somewhere in the coax.