PS Magazine - APRIL 1986
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 401
APRIL 1986
I
I-±_²³
Do your radio signals find a super-
hIghway or a roadbLock when they
reach your anTenna?
±t's your job To knock down the
barriers that keep radio sIgnaLs from
gettIng through. Here's how:
Rub out crud
that coats copper
conTacts between anTenna sections.
A
rubber penciL eraser wilL rub out
thIs corrosion² Use no abrasives³
´heyµlL scrape off The copper and
weaKen contacT²
Clean mating
surfaces
aP± 86
C²p connectors
and recePTacLes
To keeP T¶em clean and dry when you
aren·T usIng T¶em¸ ¹f you·ve losT a
caP, ImProvIse. For exampleº an M203
greNade ProtecTIve caP will cover T¶e
M X»6707 maTc¶Ing unITµs Top conTacT²
Use substitute
caps to ±over
contacts
A
Piece of Tape will do in an emer-
gency² Be sure to wipe off any glue
on the contacT before attaching the
;=±:²³´
antenna.
Dry up w²ter
that pools InsIde
ceramic InsuLaTor bowls³ Eyeball the
bowl often for cracks that Let mois-
T¼re in.
Get cracked InsulaTors
replaced.
Reflected power kills
transmitTers³ ´he anTenna is us½a¾ly the culpriT¿
´o stoP This killerÀ
• Make sure an antenna is connected before you transmit. WitÁo½t tÁat
escape vaLve, transmitted RF power comes back as inP½t and ÂOµs amplifier
circuIts.
•Ãever ground your anTennaµs radIating element. ClIpping it to metal wIll
ground iTÄ So wilL leTting It touch a hatch coverÅ a camouflage screen or another
antenna³
• R
l
b
k
·
ep ace ro en antennas³ UsÆng
aP± 86
a tooÇshorT antenna misÈatcÁes it to
the transÈitterÅ creatIng reflected
poÉer²
Stop thE strong ²rm
when
tighTening whip sections² Sn½g them
½P by hand and then back them off a
q½arter Turn or soÄ ´haT keeps them
from "freezingÊ together²
³
light
coaT of sIliconeÅ ÃSÃ 6850Ë00Ë880Ì
7616Å on The threads doesÅ too³ UnÍ
screw sectIons once in a while to keep
Them froÈ sticking together.
47
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