Allan Butler wrote:
Thanks for the information on where to find aluminum for antenna projects.
The idea of scrap yards would not be a bad one except one does not know what
the alloy or temper is on the aluminum. If it isn't right, the first good
wind would end up making a nice bundle to go back to the scrap yard. :-(
The commercial locations that were given in the information are helpful.
Even the Texas Towers site referring to a different alloy is a help. Now
I can go back to the locals with a request for the different alloy and see
if they have any of that in stock.
Again, thanks everyone for the pertinent information.
It might not be so simple as that-- as, depending on lengths, and
element diameters, and how they are attached to each other, can get much
greif, even with 6061-T! Had a Six Meter yagi, useing this tubeing thru
the boom (3/16 inch -diameter), and could drop it from height and not
damage it- But, in the wind, the elements would chatter, causing metal
fatigue, causing element failure at the boom entry hole. Don't know if
there is a program that will calculate mechanical stress from items
such as mentioned, but it is something to reckon with. Its kind of
distressing when you have 4 (or 8!) of these up, on a moonbounce
array, and have to find a way to replace those elements! as info-
Jim NN7K
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