Mating non-matched aluminum tubes for telescopic antenna elements

By Eduardo Victor J. Valdez DU1EV

Here in the Philippines, it is quite a challenge to find aluminum tubes for antennas that will taper down in size. We therefore have tubes that fit loosely when we assemble our antenna elements. To provide a tight fit, I decided to make a shim out of aluminum cans. Here is the process.

Get an aluminum can.

Scrape off the painted label using sandpaper so that a good electrical connection would be made.

Using a blade or a pair of scissors, cut the bottom and top portion of the can.

You will now have an aluminum sheet which you can cut into strips to create a shim of an appropriate size.

Here are the shims ready for another round of sanding to make them all shiny.

73

Eddie Valdez DU1EV
Email: du1ev AT hotmail.com