Topband: Using GE silicone as antenna sealant.

[Charlie Cunningham]

I agree completely!!  RTV will outgas acetic acid for a VERY LONG TIME - almost forever! You should try it in a high-vacuum chamber! Especially one that includes an "ion pump" to achieve very high vacuums! RTV will "belch acetic acid in copious quantities virtually forever. 

Definitely need one of the newer gasless curing compounds that won't outgas corrosive gases!  GOOD POINT!

Charlie, K4OTV

-----Original Message-----
From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of wa3mej at comcast.net
Sent: Saturday, March 16, 2013 12:40 PM
To: topband at contesting.com
Subject: Topband: Using GE silicone as antenna sealant.



Gents.. be very sure that if you pick GE silicone sealant.. (RTV or whatever you call it) DO NOT use the kind that has acetic acid in it.. Back in the early days of NASA rocket launches off Wallops Island NASA lost a rocket they launched.  It failed because they had used RTV that had acetic acid and it had corroded the connections.. litterally. 



A friend of mine W3AUN was one of the people responsible for this launch.. 


Long Live Seal Team VI 

http://www.qsl.net/wa3mej/index.htm 
----- Original Message -----
Well, those GE silicone sealants are designed to have pretty high 
resistivity and are designed to be insulators as well as for protection. 

Main thing, I expect is that the highest temperature that you reach is the 
curing temperature of the silicone compound. No heat guns! :) 

I wouldn't hesitate to apply it over the termination resistors on my 
receiving loops, but I haven't bothered 
_________________
Topband Reflector