Originally Posted by
Jay Mojave
Hello S+13 and all: I couldn't fine the original photos of the modified CLRII, so I took a few photos of one I modified many years ago and has been in the back yard in the dirt. The 3/8 inch Aluminum is not tubing but solid Aluminum Rod, it can be heated with a small torch and easily bent for what ever bends or shapes you want. I am sure you could do the same with tubing.
The matching coil inside the lower insulator was removed, and a newer heavier gauge wire 14 gauge was soldered to the SO-239 center and connected to a new stainless steel 10/24 pan head Philips screw, 2 inches long to allow the tubing to fit over it, as shown. The SO-239 should be replace with a new one, meaning the older rusted steel rivets must be drilled out. Which is a good call, as they may not make a good ground connection.
The tubing tube lengths can be adjusted for dead nutz flat SWR which is what one would want for high power use. New upper and lower insulators are available from Hy-Gain you download the new SPT Penetrator 500 assembly instructions and get the part numbers. The insulator that holds the adjustable tuning loop is chipped, and Teflon or Dilron or even fiberglass can be used. In a pinch I have even taken the ol ladies heavy plastic cutting board and used that as a mounting type bracket, only a few bucks. This modification upgrade isn't all that hard to make, I've seen Aluminum Tubing at Home Depot that would work. Good luck.
Jay in the Great Mojave Desert
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