Visit our Popular Forums

Lumatic · 11-25-2006, 06:52 PM

I have begun restoring this 71 Trade Wind. There is a small 5/8" x 1 1/14" barrel shaped thingy mounted to the front curbside of the trailer about 6 inches below the window. It has a knurled side and says Chicago and some other stuff I can't read on the square mounting flange. On the inside of the coach there is a heavy guage 3 strand piece of insulated wire with white insulation also covered by a black sheath. At the inside end of the wire is a circular end to attach it to some other thingy. I don't know what it is, if it is aftermarket or what it attaches to. The only thing I can think of is it may be an aftermarket outside temperature sensor, but why the heavy electrical wire. If it is not original it obviously has been there for some time. I would appreciate any ideas anyone out there may have.

Thanks,
Marshall

uwe · 11-25-2006, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marshall

I have begun restoring this 71 Trade Wind. There is a small 5/8" x 1 1/14" barrel shaped thingy mounted to the front curbside of the trailer about 6 inches below the window. It has a knurled side and says Chicago and some other stuff I can't read on the square mounting flange. On the inside of the coach there is a heavy guage 3 strand piece of insulated wire with white insulation also covered by a black sheath. At the inside end of the wire is a circular end to attach it to some other thingy. I don't know what it is, if it is aftermarket or what it attaches to. The only thing I can think of is it may be an aftermarket outside temperature sensor, but why the heavy electrical wire. If it is not original it obviously has been there for some time. I would appreciate any ideas anyone out there may have.

Thanks,
Marshall

Some sort of antenna mount, perhaps?

Lumatic · 11-25-2006, 07:10 PM

There is a factory radio antenna in the usual place on the front roadside corner. If it is an antenna mount maybe for an old CB is a possibility.

Lumatic · 11-25-2006, 07:35 PM

Here are some photos. One is from the outside. The part is about 6 inches under the curbside corner of the front window. The other phot shows the cable and where it enters the coach under the front window. If you don't get the attachments I can email the photos to you.

Marshall

TomW · 11-26-2006, 04:17 AM

Coaxial wire, like the stuff in your picture, is typically used for antennae. Kind of odd that the wire has no fitting on the inside end of it.

The outside fitting is about the size of a CB radio fitting.

Hopefully a Ham Radio enthusiast will catch this thread. Member Airstream25 might have some insight.

Tom

overlander63 · 11-26-2006, 06:20 AM

Perhaps it was for a television cable, and was run through the fitting rather than under the door, or through a window.

Chaplain Kent · 11-26-2006, 06:45 AM

I would definitely say it was added since the plate is held on with screws and not rivets. My concern is that it would be a good place for water to enter the trailer particularly when you are travelling down a wet road. You could remove it and place a small patch over the hole, caulk the patch well and give it a name so you will not mind that it is there.

wahoonc · 11-26-2006, 06:53 AM

Kind of hard to judge the size of it, but it looks to me like a cable television fitting.

Aaron

ticki2 · 11-26-2006, 07:02 AM

There looks to be some writting on the wire , what does it say ? It may tell you what it is.

Lumatic · 11-26-2006, 09:58 AM

Yes it is coaxial but about twice the thickness of TV coax. It says Vikoa 6100 RG8U Type Low Loss. There is no place to screw into on the fitting like a TV coaxial connection.

TomW · 11-26-2006, 10:17 AM

Marine Single Side Band (SSB) radio, also referred to as HF radio, uses that type of coax. It is called HF, or High Frequency, because of the frequency range used: 3 to 30 megahertz.

Does your Airstream look like it has been in water?