In a word: Woof!
Now, with no disrespect to Bencher (since I have one myself!), this could be
a challenge for the soon-to-be new owner of Vibroplex, our own Scott W4PA.
Specifically, to play on the old cliché about building a better mousetrap...
if he can build a salt-water-corrosion resistant paddle or bug, will the
contesting world beat a path to his door?
73, ron w3wn
-----Original Message-----
From: cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jeff Maass
Sent: Monday, December 07, 2009 3:48 PM
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Bencher Paddle Corrosion & PJ2T Maintenance
Having a contest station in Paradise is not all drinks in the pavillion and
high QSO rates
(although there are plenty of those, too)!
Maintenance of the station is a major issue for any facility installed near
the ocean, and
the amount of maintenance required and the relentless environmental attack
on all things
metal has shut down more than one Caribbean contest station for good. It's
tough working
on a station 2100 miles from you most of the year!
The Signal Point PJ2T station sits 37-feet above the Caribbean on a cliff,
and is bathed
in salt air at all times.
Here is a microcosm of the problem: photos of one Bencher paddle, which was
cleaned up
just last November, and which has already begun the process of turning to
rust.
http://www.k8nd.com/PJ2T_Bencher_Corrosion.htm
73, Jeff K8ND
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