Ed wrote:

Thanks for that info, Roy. I will finally download that demo
software and try it within the next 24 hours. Also, I appreciate the
comments on the other. While I can't easily get 12 foot sections, I'm
sure I'll do ok with the 6 foot sections. Here on the Oregon Coast we
get storms with sustained winds exceeding 75MPH sometimes. I would
lower any antenna if NWS were to suggest such a storm was approaching,
but I'd like to have confidence with the antenna if some gusts reached
that speed on rare occasion.


We live in a similar situation, about two miles from the south-west
coast of Scotland. After a period of strong winds, everything is
plastered with salt spray.

In the two years since I started putting up antennas, experience with
corrosion has been varied. The cast aluminum housing of the Hy-Gain
rotor has become very heavily corroded. Antennas have fared better, and
the Optibeam is immaculate.

Least corroded , of course, of all are my fiberglass poles with
insulated wire taped up the outside. If corrosion is a worry, you might
consider one of the Spiderbeam poles, which are made in Germany and are
much stronger than regular fishing poles:
http://www.shop.dx-is.com/product.sc?categoryId=5&productId=11

A friend put up an 80m 4-square at about the same time, and at a similar
distance from the sea. He found that although the tubing was OK along
most of its length, there was extensive internal corrosion at the
joints, due to the custom-made couplers that had been machined from a
different grade of alloy. They wouldn't have lasted through a third
winter, so he is changing to 40ft Spiderbeam poles mounted on 2in metal
poles.



--

73 from Ian GM3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek