[CQ-Contest] Wearon F1 Icephobic Coating

[Stan Stockton]

I have been away from the internet for the last week and just now going 
through e-mails after returning home.  I know the sick feeling you have 
when something like this happens.  It has happened to me about four 
times in the last 20 years.

Following is something I put on the Tower Talk Reflector about 9 months 
ago. I highly recommend that if you are interested you deal with Nick at 
Ecological Coatings.  You will get the same price and someone who will 
help you a lot when it is time to apply the coating. This stuff needs to 
go on about as thin as you can make it and get the aluminum covered. 
There is some prep work with skotchbrite pads or light sand paper.  It 
is sprayed with an airless sprayer.

I thought I would share some information regarding a special paint I 
have been
using for a couple of years.  It is Wearlon Super F1, icephobic paint.

It is made specifically so that ice will not build up on the surface. 
My
experience is that although I did not do the very best job of applying 
the
paint, it works well.   It has a high content of silicone.  If ice 
starts to
form, it slides off pretty quickly.

The elements and the end pieces of the boom for my 40M yagi are painted 
with
this stuff and this antenna accumulates very little ice as compared to 
the rest
of the yagi antennas.  Although my antennas are all designed to take 
well over
an inch of radial ice without trusses and wind, all it takes is an inch 
of
radial ice and a 60 MPH wind and there are few antennas that will 
survive.

The Wearlon Super F1 costs $189.00 per gallon and a gallon would 
supposedly
cover 220 SF (with no overspray).  I'll answer any questions about it as 
best I
can but if you are interested in buying some, you should call Nick 
Patenaude at
Ecological Coatings in Clifton Park, NY.  His number is 518-664-3468. 
He is a
distributor and is very helpful.

Stan, K5GO
www.k5go.com