Help With Cables/Connectors and Weather Sealing

FlightAware ADS-B Flight Tracking
1

Hi all,

I’m going to finally mount my antenna on the roof and pick up the new Pro SDR stick as well as the FA band pass filter and want to make sure everything looks right. This is what I’m thinking:

FA Antenna [N Female] → [N Male] Coax [N Male] → [N Female] Pigtail [SMA Male] → [SMA Female] FA Band Pass Filter [SMA Male] → [SMA Female] FA Pro SDR Stick [USB]

I’ll need to weather seal the Antenna → Coax → Pigtail portion as that will be outside my house. Any tips on how to weather seal the N connectors with the antenna and pigtail on the two sides of the coax?

Thanks!

2

I use a combination based on advice from some old HAM guys I know. http://amzn.com/B00NMS8EEG on the inside of the connectors, and http://amzn.com/B0002ZPINC on the outside. Thus far I’ve seen zero water intrusion and I doubt I ever will the way this stuff works.

3

So, I’ve got a 15’ run of CA400 terminated in a 2’ pigtail of LMR-240

(the fatty 400 cable doesn’t fit through the pre-existing hole in the exterior wall and I’d rather not drill a new one)

Due to poor planning on my part the junction between these cables is SMA-SMA instead of the weather-resistant N-type.

(I thought it had to be SMA to get through the aforementioned hole but I could have pushed an N->SMA cable through from the outside. Doh.)

Anyway, I sealed the junction with a liberal application of this silicone tape:

amazon.com/dp/B00BSXAH06/re … dxbTC2KGAT

Cheap and effective. It’s not an adhesive per-se, but it bonds to itself and you can stretch it so it makes a tight seal. Tough stuff too.

We’ve had some decent rains since I’ve installed this and I haven’t had any issues.

4

Thanks both, I’m going to go with the silicone tape JonHanford posted and then cover it with 3M Super 88 electrical tape for UV protection. Will let you know how it goes.

5

You can also use silicone grease inside the connectors - it needn’t be one specifically sold as for RF use. It is well worth it as it will prevent corrosion as well as water ingress.