[TowerTalk] Protecting Aluminum Antennas

Sat Mar 19 02:13:12 EDT 2016

I'm proud of that shiny and expensive antenna and it's no problem with 
the neighbors, except one who is a problem no matter what you do.  Last 
fall, someone over on that road (just around the corner) someone being 
neighborly, mowed the ditch bank (shallow ditch)  She was fired up that 
anyone would dare mess with "her" leaves, so there is no pleasing that 
one. I'll probably get TVI complaints even when not on the air.  I've 
been here since Sept 84 with only one TVI complaint and that neighbor 
had a football party in his garage, watching Ch12 on rabbit ears.  I 
gave him a spare antenna to put up in the rafters which earned me an 
invite with free beer.  <:-)

At-any-rate, I'd like to keep good conductivity on the elements and stay 
highly visible for the planes that spray twice a summer. At 130' they 
would go around the antennas.  I'd like them to keep going around and 
not through.  He might have a bit of a problem with that 2" heavy steel 
mast.

This is a wooded rural subdivision thankfully with no HOAs.  I'm right 
under the GPS6 to the local airport, but just inside the FAF, so I can 
go nearly 190' with no problem.  I was a pilot until medical issues 
caused me to not renew my medical.   With the top of the big array, the 
array was visible from nearly a mile to the East.

I'm sure I'll hear about it when the big array goes back up. 
http://www.rogerhalstead.com/ham_files/Tower29.htm
I hope to install a  40M3 with a 50C7  (7L 6-meter Yagi on a 39'+ boom 
about 12' above it.  It just depends on what help I can get, I wish I'd 
have installed a 100 - 120 ft crank up instead of the 100' 45G when I 
was working with a good income. More concrete, but no guys.

The neighbor next to her was over one day to see what I was working on. 
It was a dirt base for a 50' 25 G.
http://www.rogerhalstead.com/ham_files/Dirt_Base.htm  I took a break and 
when I came back out, he and his wife had dug the hole and planted the 
base for me.  That's the kind of neighborhood it was until the one 
possessive of her leaves moved in.
Plus I now have an LM470 with a C19XR going up with maybe a WARC7 about 
10' above it.
I'd really like a C31XR!  <:-)

73

Roger (K8RI)

On 3/18/2016 Friday 8:03 PM, David Gilbert wrote:
>
> Why on earth would you want it to be shiny?  Seems like it would be 
> more of any eyesore to any neighbors that way.  It certainly doesn't 
> make any difference electrically.
>
> Dave   AB7E
>
>
> On 3/18/2016 4:06 PM, Roger (K8RI) on TT wrote:
>> Is there anything that will keep an antenna shiny and bright, besides 
>> not putting it up?
>> I have often heard clear Krylon mentioned, but from my experience, it 
>> is very short lived.  Three coats, allowed to dry between coats only 
>> lasted a few months if that.
>> Around here (central MI) the shiny Al turns to a dull finish in a 
>> month or two.
>>
>> Alodyne does last and looks good, if you like a shiny gold color and 
>> have both time and ambition.  I have used Alodyne on aircraft 
>> elevator hinges.  It's a very labor intensive (tedious) process. The 
>> antenna would certainly stand out.
>>
>
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-- 

73

Roger (K8RI)

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