stranded lead about one inch long. Next, strip the center conductor 1/4 inch closer to the end. Tin both leads.
Wrap the coax wire around the center insulator making sure that it is snug in one of the two grooves. The end of the coax should loop around and fold back on itself, overlapping about one inch. Fasten the coax to itself using the nylon wire ties supplied.
You should still have a short length of wire coming from each antenna wire connection. Connect one of these to the center conductor, and one to the outside conductor of the coax. Be sure to solder them well. If the wires have a lot of slack in them, you may want to cut off some excess wire and then connect them. The solder connections should not support any weight, if possible. This will help their longevity. You should now add waterproof sealant such as silicone caulking (Silastic, RTV). After you have done this, seal it further using electrical tape.
After you have ensured that the coaxial cable is snugly attached, it is time to mount your antenna. First, identify where you would like the center of your antenna (as a general rule, the higher the better). Although it is better to find a place where you can secure it, you may also suspend it using the strength of the ends to hold it in the air. If you need to secure the antenna, tie a length of rope to the object that you are securing it to. Next, tie the rope to the center insulator very tightly (short of breaking it, please!). If you have some patience, the rope will fit between the fins of the insulator, and will secure itself very nicely. We suggest that you use a knot that will not loosen with time. (A Boy Scout may be handy for tying knots and climbing trees.)
Once the center is at the proper location, make sure that your coaxial cable will easily reach your radio. Next, stretch out one of the wires and bring the end up to where you wish to secure it. If the location is difficult to reach easily, you may wish to consider securing it to a lower spot until after you have finished tuning it up. Using more rope, tie one end to the object, and one end to the hole in the free end of the insulator. Again, use knots that will not come loose with time. If you think that the object that you are tying your antenna to is going to move due to winds or other factors, you may wish to consider using a pulley or similar system of compensating for this. Connect the other end of the dipole in the same fashion. Be sure that the dipole does not sag too much, but also be aware that tightening it up too much may put undue strain on it.
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