Q I’ve been using a G5RV antenna for years. It was damaged in a windstorm recently. It broke where the ladder line connects to the dipole. Can this be easily repaired, or should I just break down and buy another antenna?
A This is a minor repair. Clean the areas to be reconnected using sandpaper, emery cloth or steel wool until the metal is shiny. Make a good mechanical connection depending on where the break is and how it connects. If there is an eye for the wire to go through, loop the wire and twist it tight. If you are connecting wire to wire, twist the wires together so that they make a strong connection. Solder the connection using rosin flux solder.
Soldering outdoors can be difficult because any cool breeze keeps the connection from getting hot enough to melt the solder. Either use a torch, or bring the antenna indoors for this repair.
From QST March 2001
