I have always liked 4"-diameter Schedule 160 PVC.  It is fairly expensive, but it is very strong and non-conductive.  You might want to check it out to see if it meets your needs.

Kenwood always used to claim that their audio was the best because they used a lot of RF negative feedback between the finals and the driver to supress cross-modulation distortion.  I don't know if this was true or just an advertising claim, but I, too, have had a lot of stations tell me that my Kenwood's audio is really good.  Perhaps it was also that they carefully matched the frequency response and output level of their microphones to their audio amps.

Can someone please tell me the tune-up procedure for the Johnson Viking Valiant?  Thank you.

Thank you to everyone who responded for the kind advice.

Is it OK to use a grounded-grid, class AB2 linear amp such as an SB-220 with an AM rig?  If not, why not?  How about with double sideband supressed carrier?

N5XM: the problem I have with so many older hams is that they feel they are "superior" to everyone else, but their alleged superiority stems from insecurity, not from actual superiority; and to make matters worse, they think nobody else realizes they're insecure!  I find that maddening.  How can people have so little self-knowledge?  It's an example of the "FUD factor" at work in amateur radio: give a fat, ugly dweeb a ham radio license and he instantly thinks he's superior to other people.  Hams need to remember that they're nothing special as people.  In fact, most hams are bigger losers than the average person on the street.

A better question would be, "Why can't you let the 147.432 people operate the way they want?"  If you don't like what you hear, spin the dial.  Nobody is forcing you to listen.  Also, you should learn to spell before you get your license.  We have enough illiterate hams posting on here already.

Hermann, you are my hero and I want to be your slave.  I tried emailing you at the address given in your eham bio, but the message was returned.  Please give me your real call and email address, Hermann!  My email address is: bcrowell@excite.com.  And can you get on 3830 and lay your pearls of wisdom on us mere mortals??  "W6 Old Bad Back" - I love it!!  Can I steal that line from you, please?  Billy the Bill Collector, N6AYJ

Is there a net dealing with the triple threat of prostatitis, hemorrhoids and rectal incontinence?

I'd never read QST and I'd never join the ARRL.  The League has absolutely no concept of how to properly represent its members.  I hope they go down the tubes.  As a matter of fact, I hope this whole frigging hobby goes down the tubes!  All hams do is have a bunch of airhead QSO's anyway.  If we're going to have airhead conversations, let the airhead public have the frequencies.  I mean, let's face it, ham radio is really a shitty hobby.  Bill Crowell, N6AYJ