I need some help figuring something out, I had a Laired 11dbd at first when I first put it up a few months ago the signal was in 470s to 500 then it was 400 to 440 but when it rains I get a very weak to nothing it didn't use to do that then I switched to a Larsen 8.5dbd it does the same and where I had the jumper it was in heat shrink wrap could it be the connecter and put the other antenna back up
Antenna Troubleshooting
- Thread starter Bonkk083
- Start date
Check cables and connectors all the way from the antenna end to the radio end.
What kind of cable are you using and is it a factory assembly or a DIY assembly?
What kind of cable are you using and is it a factory assembly or a DIY assembly?
Lmr-400 I got it factory assembled but the one on the multicoupler I put on myself but going change the Laird came with a jumper that was already with a N female
In general, wet leaves on trees can affect radio signals. Radio waves interact strongly with water. When radio signals pass through vegetation, the leaves, stems, and branches can scatter and absorb the signals, which ends up attenuating the signal. The amount of RF loss is mainly due to the water in the leaves, but some loss remains even when the leaves are completely dry
I know it didn't use to do that
So a few months ago, when it did not do that, were there leaves on your trees?
Yes I noticed it doing that little over a month,
I have a BNC male and N right angle male to change but the multicoupler has a BNC but if I use the N I would need a adapter which would be best use it's lmr-400
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Ok. You noticed over a month ago. Were there leaves on the trees when it was not having difficulty receiving?
Yes they are pine trees
I tell you this I bought a omni antenna and sent it back a few days in between till I got a yagi i had the connecter in a plastic bag and it rained then I taped it and under a board and rained then connected it to the Laird had a jumper and put heat shrink I looked at the N female looked clean, could it be now showing up but it seemed dry
Any water ingress to connectors can start corosion and have this effect. Looks good doesn't always count.
Really, the only suitable shrink tube for outdoors is the marine variety with like a sealant inside.
Also acceptable is the coax connector wrap made for this.
Two antennas with the same problem sort of rules out the antenna, SO, connectors, damaged coax need to be checked for your entire antenna system, including jumpers, multicouplers, From antenna to the radio.
What really helps here is an antenna anayzer or somthing like a Nano VNA to check the system, otherwise, trial and error.
What I do, is starting at the antenna connector, get some Dow Corning #4 compound, Pack the connectors including a smudge on N connector gaskets. Wrap the entire connector + a couple inches of coax with electrical tape. Follow that with a quality coax weather wrap.
I found in liew of the weather wrap, Flex-Seal, so far has worked just fine. Theoretically, your connections should not deteriorate at all over 40 years, Check your coax for abbrasions and cracks where water may get into the coax meaning a splice.
Really, the only suitable shrink tube for outdoors is the marine variety with like a sealant inside.
Also acceptable is the coax connector wrap made for this.
Two antennas with the same problem sort of rules out the antenna, SO, connectors, damaged coax need to be checked for your entire antenna system, including jumpers, multicouplers, From antenna to the radio.
What really helps here is an antenna anayzer or somthing like a Nano VNA to check the system, otherwise, trial and error.
What I do, is starting at the antenna connector, get some Dow Corning #4 compound, Pack the connectors including a smudge on N connector gaskets. Wrap the entire connector + a couple inches of coax with electrical tape. Follow that with a quality coax weather wrap.
I found in liew of the weather wrap, Flex-Seal, so far has worked just fine. Theoretically, your connections should not deteriorate at all over 40 years, Check your coax for abbrasions and cracks where water may get into the coax meaning a splice.
I'm thinking it's the main coax connecter that's the one I had wrapped in plastic, could the heat shrink make moisture worse
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