[TowerTalk] Help identifying alloy in mast

[al.n6ta at gmail.com]

A box of donuts walked into a heat treat shop and they would take the 5 minutes to test hardness.  It is easy.  The hard part is getting a mast to the shop!
73,
Al
N6TA

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard (Rick) Karlquist <richard at karlquist.com> 
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2020 9:36 AM
To: john at kk9a.com; towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Help identifying alloy in mast



On 2/10/2020 7:35 AM, john at kk9a.com wrote:
> There are companies that purchase scrap metal from manufacturing plants. 
> They have an analysis gun that can show the chemical composition of 
> carbon steel. I have watched someone use one, they are very quick and 
> appear to be accurate however you would need to remove the zinc in the 
> test area.  Another option is to cut off a sample and test the 
> hardness using a Brinell Hardness testing machine and compare it to 
> the chrome molly and 1026 steel specs.
> 
> For some reason hams seem to be obsessed with 2" chrome molly masts.
> 
> 73,
> 
> John KK9A
> 

It's good to know that it can be tested.  It would probably require "connections" to get this done at a price that wouldn't exceed the value of the mast.

Can you expand on your comment about the chromoly obsession?
I too keep reading the chromoly "hype" (?) here on TT.
Is it possibly overrated? Or maybe it's the real deal.
I don't have an opinion as a non-expert; just trying to learn about it.

Rick N6RK