1 November 2011

Antenna went intermittent during CQWW SSB 2011. Troubleshooting found grey duct seal goop inside male end of Heliax N connector on the tower. Cleaned and got the SWR tolerable, but need to disassemble the connector and clean it better.

17 November 2011

Removed the Type N female connector at the end of the coax pigtail from the antenna. Put the MFJ directly on there and still see dip at about 14.100 of about 2.8:1.0. Antenna is about 38 ohms. The Type N was mechanically and electrically fragile so cut it off the pigtail and put on a new PL259 male. The sequence of connectors from antenna toward shack is: PL-259, female SO-239 to barrel connector, then barrel to female Type N adapter, then into the mail hardline connector down to the shack. Carefully put all new sealant on it and taped it up. We will have to live with teh SWR. Makes QSOs fine.