[TowerTalk] Crowd sourcing ideas on making antennas look

[Jim Thomson]

Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2016 14:21:32 -0600
From: Bill Hein <bill.aa7xt at gmail.com>
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Crowd sourcing ideas on making antennas look
better

This is Bill from Force 12.

Had a customer ask about making a vertical antenna look nicer. Most of us
know that 'mill finish' aluminum tubing - as is typically used in antenna
construction - may have scratches and blemishes, which don't affect
the electrical performance but might have a cosmetic impact when viewed up
close.

Power coating looks great but is not inexpensive. Spray painting works fine
at HF frequencies if one is careful to mask the overlapping conductors
before painting. Are there other viable options short of painting to treat
the aluminum tubes?

73

BIll AA7XT
Glade Park CO
DM59pa

## 6061-T6 is oil quenched, done in an oil bath.  The finish is dull grey.
The only part that needs to be cleaned is where they overlap.  Use any other
procedure as has been described, and the production cost will  go way up. 

Id leave it as is. 

Jim   VE7RF