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Sinker
Member Username: Sinker
Post Number: 68 Registered: 8-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 5:41 pm: |
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As those of you whom have been helping and answering all my questions know I am attempting to have my antennas blend and be as UN-NOTICEABLE as possible. So with that in mind can I paint the Top One & Maco V-5000 Antenna with Flat Black Paint??? If so is there a better paint to use than others??? Will this decrease their performance in any way ??? BTW - For those interested the Top One will be centered on top of my roof with a tri-pod mount & 10 or 15' mast and guy rope to the four corners of the house. The Maco V-5000 will be going on the Channel Master Push-Up Pole with the method of install putting it 33' to the antenna base. I have the polyphasers for both but the LMR-400 is still a few weeks away so you all have to wait for pictures and I have to wait to have fun and try out that new TR-696F-SSB Base that arrived today. The method of install of both these antennas will allow for the easy take down of them when needed due to Hurricanes and Tropical Storms (got hit 3 times last year and so far none this year). So, can I paint these antennas or am I better off leaving them alone??? |
Road_warrior
Advanced Member Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 833 Registered: 7-2004
| Posted on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 7:23 pm: |
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I've never painted a aluminum antenna to find out if it effects the performance or not. Guess as long as it's non-metalic paint it should be ok. I could just never get the nerve up to scuff up nice shiny new aluminum....LOL... Well, sounds like your on the right track now. You have bought some nice equipment and have made good antenna choices. JIM/ CEF 375 Central Pa. |
Kid_vicious
Advanced Member Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 609 Registered: 9-2004
| Posted on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 11:27 pm: |
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i have always painted my antennas. it was a trick i "saw" another local cb'er do. he gave me directions to his house and told me to look for the big 5/8 wave antenna. it was 10 o'clock at night and i drove past his house twice before i saw it. it will not degrade the performance of the antenna, unless you use a metallic based paint.(think, gold top one!) i use rustoleum ultra flat black and it works great. clean the aluminum with acetone first so the paint will stick better. here in vegas, i have the luxury of "baking" the antenna in the sun for a few days. the paint never flakes off. my antenna disappears at night. if you want one that disappears in the day, i guess you'd have to use sky blue spray paint. that would be funny! just make sure you dont paint the sections before you assemble the antenna. the paint would ruin the conductivity of the metal. |
Road_warrior
Advanced Member Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 838 Registered: 7-2004
| Posted on Wednesday, September 14, 2005 - 12:49 pm: |
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Hey Kid, Happy Birthday! I never tried painting antennas. I like that shiny metal gleaming in the sun...LOL Yeah, what would be a good color to hide antenna in the day??? Sky Blue is all i can think of too. Hummmm |
Kid_vicious
Advanced Member Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 617 Registered: 9-2004
| Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 11:26 pm: |
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if i remember right, rad shak put out a half wave "big stick" type antenna back in the late eighties that was sort of a sea green color. i always thought that they did this to make it disappear in the sunlight. it didnt work too well.
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