On 7/31/05 9:01 PM, "Robert & Linda McGraw K4TAX" <RMcGraw@Blomand.Net>
wrote:
> Beware some of these are made using pieces of copper looking or brass
> looking / plated or painted junk. Put them in the weather for 4 weeks and
> they will rust. Beware of the rivets that hold them together, they rust too
> and we know what happens to two dis-similar metals. Yikes!
>
> 73
> Bob K4TAX
>
Good point Bob. I looked around to see if any of the vendors provided
detailed data, but found none of any value. You don't really know what your
getting. One of the science sites claims that the blades and contacts are
brass but say nothing about the rivets. Also, the base should be UV
protected and water resistant for outside use.
This topic reminded me of the good old days (early 1950s) when I was a kid
in RI. We lived in an old farm house that was built back around 1850 or so.
At some unknown time the rather tiny attic had wiring added to distribute
power to the rooms below on the second floor and it was a pair of wires on
insulating posts every few feet, about 6 inches apart, running along the
center of the attic floor. All the insulation had rotted off exposing the
wire, and a convenient knife switch was used to control the lone bare lamp.
Ouch! I only got zapped once, but that was enough. Dad and I replaced the
wiring with Romex along the edges of the attic and I converted the old
wiring into my first shortwave antenna.
Cheers,
Gus Hansen / KB0YH
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