Storm Damage Repair - My Own Signature 12 Antenna Fell Down!

[@user-tk7sz8se2v]

Love the dog. Your videos are great. When I can afford it a DX Commander is on the list.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Good choice!

[@thomasperina2990]

Hello Lord Callum: Sorry old chap that your antenna came down. The one thing I admire about you is that you speak your mind & don't hold back anything. In this day & age this is a rare commodity. God Bless, & my best to Wendy, & the dogs. TMP, Unit 22 from N.J.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

You are always so kind!!

[@MattHeere]

My DCCC has now been up for 5 years (had to look - made the original video in 2019). Only issue was my own stupidity. Never changed out the "temporary" wooden pegs I used as stakes and of course they rotted away. The self-amalgamating tape I used to seal the pole has held up splendidly.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Ah cool! Matt, I'll bet the joins have welded themselves together!

[@steinshaw2490]

I forget where but I remember a person saying that if the wind was to strong there telescoping antenna would simply collapse and all was good. I think they added some padding in the base to cushion the landing of the sections a bit. I wasn't certain it was a good thing but they seemed okay with it. It is interesting how we can learn more from our failures than our successes. I think that is a successful test that you have there, and a good recovery. Thanks for sharing your adventures Callum! de ki7cia 73

[@jackK5FIT]

My worst nightmare (other than lightening striking it). Glad you got it back up in good shape. Just did maintenance on my Classic about 6 weeks ago so it should be good until next spring.

[@robertmeyer4744]

The dog loves the bigger field ! Nice fix on antenna. Them plastic clamps great . better than the stainless steel with the tubing over it. Now I know not to use super glue. That did hold threw some strong wind before. Maybe the UV breaks the glue down over time. 73

[@DXCommanderHQ]

I think the glue would work if I squited more in. Regular superglue was fine on the other one! I took advice from a sub guy here!

[@danamarcy5414]

When you first said your antenna collapsed, my heart went straight to my socks!!!! Glad to hear it was a repairable event. Always good to hear. VE6KBI Dana

[@jelspencer]

The extension to the field and the new fence look great Cal. Regards, Very Hairy Bloke.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

VHD! Nice.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

B..!!

[@DonDegidio]

Hi Cal, Didn't take long to make the repairs. I discovered I needed the clamps on my Spiderpoles when one collapsed during the night. You and the family stay safe. 73 WJ3U

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Hey Don! Hope all is well.

[@DavidMitchell79]

Sorry to hear of this, Callum. I have my Classic guyed at the little top two hole spreader and the next two spreaders down. I found out about putting the clamps on when cold, they expand enough when the weather got hot to allow the pole to telescope. So I retightened them while hot. I suspect all will be well, now. Do not fret, even aircraft manufacturers must test and make design changes on the prototypes.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Good point..

[@mewrongwayKOCXF]

Awesome Callum!! 👍👍👍

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Thanks 👍

[@edk4590]

I knew it would be somthing other then your product. Good day Cal.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Yeah.. Next video, I tidy the base up!

[@andrewhill2556]

You should have made a put over pole for a permanent deployment. I bought a put over 8m fiberglass pole for my 9:1 and 49:1 balun no chance of them collapsing ! Love the antenna field 73's Andy M6APJ.

[@petemillis4666]

Put over poles are by far the best . I had one up here for years and never a problem. The pinky slight downside is that for portable ops it's a bit of a faff assembling section by section rather than just telescoping them out, but they are far more sturdy when up, and with no need for twisting, clamping or taping. 73 M3KXZ

[@bodstrup]

I think you can buy these nice plastic clamps somewhere 😀 Need to find a way for mine NOT to slide up to a thinner rod - when mast is collapsed. Raise/collaps often when experimenting

[@DD5LP]

Great idea tightening those clamps with a battery powered drill. I use ones with finger tighteners as I got fed up with the screw head ones. These look better still. No one likes to see an antenna down but it's nature's way to say it's time for maintenance. 73 Ed

[@DXCommanderHQ]

First time I've done that.. It was real easy!

[@DK5ONV]

Whatta Honolulu.....😲 Super Glue that won't make Wallpaper staying on the Wall 😂👍 Good Job Cal, you got your Antenna back in working Order in no Time. Happy Weekend & 73 de Uncle Günter 💯🙋‍♂

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Thanks! 👍

[@ae1tpa92gwtom2]

Sorry to see that Cal, my Classic snapped n fell down, during a storm, n a microburst caught it all on security cam, 2 months ago, it happens, 73 n enjoy yr radio!!!

[@don_n5skt]

I have had the same issue more than once on my 7m pole. I ended up using the clamps. Wish I could find those clamps for sale in the US. They work really well. 73 Cal

[@stargazer7644]

DX Engineering sells those clamps and Calum's other stuff in the US.

[@petemillis4666]

Just Google plastic worm drive hose clamp. They're quite a widely available item.

[@don_n5skt]

@@stargazer7644 Thanks. I got some from them.

[@ChipEckardt]

Mine has come down in a similar fashion. Not a big deal to fix. Took me maybe 20 minutes. It is one heck of a great antenna.

[@alanslade2319]

Hi CAL at least you could use your own rubber sort of jubilee clips now it just collapsed in on itself, up and running again,we got some thunder coming through tonight so I'll be unpluging tonight . Take care of yourself and yours.ALAN 🍻💯👍

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Ah. Good luck Alan.

[@garyh8315]

Those pesky planes sound like fast jets when you are doing the ff bits!!

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Haha

[@clausfrlund6092]

Yes, the DX Commander antennas cannot hold in strong winds. My DX-Commander broke in two places in a storm about a year ago and was beyond repair. That incident made me give up HF radio completely, because then it is too expensive.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Ah. Never had that.

[@deltaxraysweden4258]

Use colored tape for marking up your coaxials, so you know what's what 😊

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Please come over on a day trip and show me!

[@deltaxraysweden4258]

@@DXCommanderHQ My apologies Cal, didn't mean to be rude 😁 I was literally doing it to my own cables as I watched your video.

[@DonzLockz]

Bugger! That glue wasn't so 'super'. Lol

[@hamradiostationg0dtx583]

good job very nice

[@erpece]

Grabbing and moving YT subs? Witchcraft! Mate, I learned something useful again today - cheers 😂👍

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Welcome back!

[@randomcrap763]

How much wind can these withstand? Looking at this for a friend but his backyard often has pretty high winds (gusts up to 50+ are common)

[@DXCommanderHQ]

50mph is fine.

[@piquat1]

Same problem with mine, plastic anything didn't work, glue either, ended up with stainless hose clamps inside clear tubing then sealed the joint with butyl tape. We have a lot of wind, needs 3 guy wires, puts a lot of down force on the pole.

[@jswyman-ll3dr]

You right by an airbase/airport???

[@stargazer7644]

He's off the approach end of runway 33 at Birmingham Airport.

[@dieseldes6578]

I just used fiberglass resin when i was permanently extending my DX commander poles while building my Quad. 100% will not move at the sections now.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Perfect!

[@larrypicard5969]

Anyone know where to get the rubberized hose clamps? VE3LTP

[@DXCommanderHQ]

HCL EzClamps. We sell em. So do DX Engineering. Packs of the things. Loki and Gina pack them up.

[@davidhtims]

I used a propanw soldering torch to soften the cutoff edges cause i am clumsy and would cut myself.

[@Oldwolf63]

i would have left the jubilee clamps slight longer in case they had to be removed and put back on.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

I have a box of 1,000. Have no fear.

[@geoffvk3sq113]

....ya just cant trust super-glue mate

[@garycapson6713]

Super glue only works on fingers Callum................

[@DXCommanderHQ]

You bet!

[@johnharrison5703]

Super glue is not waterproof. I have two 10m poles assembled with epoxy that gave now been up 10 years without issue. In fact uv on the fiberglass is a bigger issue now at 10 years in the open.

[@warrenphillips69]

All those planes overhead laying their chem trails.

[@davidbridge3542]

Are you being buzzed by the military 🪖..some jets flying close by.😅

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Bham Airport. BHX