It is that time of year again! Time to maintain the antenna farm. If you have outside antennas then you need to remember these tips to keep them working at peak efficiency.
First: Don't forget to rotate your coax! This is probably the task most scanner listeners forget to do. This should be done regularly, once a year is best. This is most important for monitoring antennas since these are used in only a single direction. Just like car tires, antenna coax gets worn unevenly over the years, a regular rotation keeps the wear even and extends the life. Two-way radio antennas do not suffer from this as much since there is RF flowing in both directions and that tends to even out the wear.
Second: make sure your antennas are clean! Dirty antennas do not work as well as clean antennas. Dirt, bird poop, and other detritus block signals from reaching your antenna and then your radio. A quick rinse from the garden hose will loosen most of the crud but a good annual wax will make this a moot point. Be sure to use a good, high-quality wax specifically formulated for receiving antennas. Automobile wax will work but since it is formulated for painted surfaces it will not adhere as well as antenna wax.
Last: Remember that when working on the roof or the tower to rotate your coax and clean and wax your antennas to be careful. Falling off the roof is not fun but these accidents do help keep firefighters, EMT's and doctors in business. Being more careful doing these tasks will help keep your insurance rates low and your body intact.
First: Don't forget to rotate your coax! This is probably the task most scanner listeners forget to do. This should be done regularly, once a year is best. This is most important for monitoring antennas since these are used in only a single direction. Just like car tires, antenna coax gets worn unevenly over the years, a regular rotation keeps the wear even and extends the life. Two-way radio antennas do not suffer from this as much since there is RF flowing in both directions and that tends to even out the wear.
Second: make sure your antennas are clean! Dirty antennas do not work as well as clean antennas. Dirt, bird poop, and other detritus block signals from reaching your antenna and then your radio. A quick rinse from the garden hose will loosen most of the crud but a good annual wax will make this a moot point. Be sure to use a good, high-quality wax specifically formulated for receiving antennas. Automobile wax will work but since it is formulated for painted surfaces it will not adhere as well as antenna wax.
Last: Remember that when working on the roof or the tower to rotate your coax and clean and wax your antennas to be careful. Falling off the roof is not fun but these accidents do help keep firefighters, EMT's and doctors in business. Being more careful doing these tasks will help keep your insurance rates low and your body intact.
