On all alumn. antennas, DO use the pentrox or similar produce at the
joints-- that is put the stuff on the part of the tubing that goes inside
the other tubing-- at the joints. U can coat the rest of the antenna
with some kind of antanna coat (Mosley sells that) or Krylon, but be sure
not to coat the parts where u may think that later u will want to make an
electrical connection. Clear coat is very hard to see (that is why they
call it clear) and thus difficult to remove later.
I would not clear-coat because I do not care if my antennas shine or not.
The alumn. oxidizing powder actually protects the underlying metal once it
has formed a good layer , so is not harm.
You should polish your joints (watch it, gutterminds) with the Scotch
brand pot scrubber thingy-- is a green fiber pad about 3 inches by 6
inches sold in grocery stores along with the other cleaning thingys and
liquids. This thing has no metal parts to get imbedded in the wrong
places like steel wool and yet cleans like Crazy (or his brother, Looney).
Change pads often (again gutter.....) because the oxide builds up on the
pad quickly.
Use sillycone to cover elect. joints and Coax seal over the coax
connectors. Actually, better to use the Cushcraft plastic boots
especially made for this purpose to cover the coax plugs and then use coax
seal at both ends of the boot. . U have to cut the smaller hole of the
boots a bit larger for RG-8 sized cables, but otherwise, these are great.
Only Cushcraft sells them. I ordered 30 the other day from them and use
them on all my coax plugs. Be sure to place the boot on the coax prior to
soldering the plug!
73, K4VUD
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