Can you spray paint an antenna?
- Thread starter LukeB
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There was a thread back in December about this:
http/www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php=3ft=3d38297&highlight=3dantenna+paint
http/www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php=3ft=3d38297&highlight=3dantenna+paint
LukeB;
Done it for years on everything from stainless steel center loaded Hustler, K40, Wilson 1000 CBs to RS all band scanner/monitor antennas. I just used plain ol' stealthy dull non-gloss primer black and noticed no "significant" real world signal reception loss. "Theory" may differ but the quick and experienced answer is 'no significant problem'.
tl
Done it for years on everything from stainless steel center loaded Hustler, K40, Wilson 1000 CBs to RS all band scanner/monitor antennas. I just used plain ol' stealthy dull non-gloss primer black and noticed no "significant" real world signal reception loss. "Theory" may differ but the quick and experienced answer is 'no significant problem'.
tl
radio10-8
Member
Spray it
I have heard no difference. Thread a while back mentioned metal based or metal flaked paint and other stuff. Regular spray paint in my opinion doesn't hurt it. 3 of my antenna s are black and 2 are beige.
I have heard no difference. Thread a while back mentioned metal based or metal flaked paint and other stuff. Regular spray paint in my opinion doesn't hurt it. 3 of my antenna s are black and 2 are beige.
ElectricFlyGuy
Member
The answer is YES, AS LONG as the paint contains NO metals of any kind. These metals can cause signal problems and throw the SW off a bit.
LukeB said:
prcguy
Member
White is an eyesore unless the antenna is low and surrounded by white buildings. Black is great at night but stands out in the day. I used to paint all my antennas with a flat winter gray, which blends in with the sky and takes the sting out of the skyline. Telewave and other companies paint their antennas a light sky blue and I tried this on a few antennas recently. One is on the serious ugly list, a 165ft long T2FD with two parallel wires and lots of PVC pipe spreaders, load resistor and balun hanging in air, etc. It’s a really bad antenna for making non ham friends. I put this monster up 35ft in the open at work about 3mo ago and the boss has not even noticed it, the flat sky blue wires and PVC just disappear like magic. Next time I re-do my tower everything is going flat sky blue. In 35yrs of painting antennas I have never measured or noticed any degradation in performance using common spray paint from Rustoleum, Krylon, etc. The longest lasting and best hardware store paint in my opinion is Epoxy type, which will slowly oxidize and turn dull over the years where others can peel and flake off. I also like to paint on cool overcast days where the paint will go on much thicker without runs compared to a hot day but it does take longer to dry.
prcguy
prcguy
RESCUE4NFD
Member
Paint Antenna
YES,YES,YES.......
YES,YES,YES.......
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Flat black for mobile is probably best. For home ant., it will depend on your surroundings but I use Krylon Ultra Flat Camo colors like O.D. Green or Khaki.
jparks29
John McClane
as mentioned, no metallic paints... but you should be fine...
I paint mine gray... seems to match the sky around here most of the year...
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UUUHHHH !!!!
The continued spreading of the metalic content MYTH !!
Stop it !!!!!!!
Whatcha antenna made of good buddy? Metal ? How can putting MORE metal onto metal hurt anything?
Mythbusters has struck again.......yeah baby.
The continued spreading of the metalic content MYTH !!
Stop it !!!!!!!
Whatcha antenna made of good buddy? Metal ? How can putting MORE metal onto metal hurt anything?
Mythbusters has struck again.......yeah baby.
ReceiverBeaver said:
I'm wracking my brain for some antenna that doesn't have at least ONE insulator somewhere... can't think of one.
Oh... and then there's skin effect. It seems to me that replacing a highly conductive surface with one that is a mediocre conductor wouldn't be such a hot idea.
No, using metalic paint is probably a bad idea.
N
N_Jay
Guest
ReceiverBeaver said:
Beavers are so smart they know things they don't understand. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
DPD1
Member
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I opened this thread hoping to learn how to spray pain... I figured that might come in handy next time I get cut off or something. But I see now this is apparently about painting things. ;-)
Dave
http://www.dpdproductions.com
- Custom Scanner, Aviation, MURS, GMRS, Marine & Ham Antennas -
Dave
http://www.dpdproductions.com
- Custom Scanner, Aviation, MURS, GMRS, Marine & Ham Antennas -
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And the detractors still only have opinion and inuendo.....and so the myth continues amongst the mighty unwashed.
Whatever. It doesn't matter. Make yourselves happy and do with your antennas as you see fit. You only have to please yourself.
Whatever. It doesn't matter. Make yourselves happy and do with your antennas as you see fit. You only have to please yourself.
kf4pep
Member
ReceiverBeaver said:
Is it metal? All metal? All all parts connected????
Using your logic I should be able to take any antenna out there, wrap it in alumminum foil, and have no poblems.
I would say most paint would have no metal ro a tiny bit that would not matter, but a comment like "Whatcha antenna made of good buddy? Metal ? How can putting MORE metal onto metal hurt anything?" is way off.
You could short out parts that are meant to be insulated.
You could actually create a partial "shield" around the antenna element if you have metallic content that goes on but does not get fully connected with the actual element... it could be a layer that due to a mix of conductive and non-conductive you end up with a layer that has resistance that attenuates the signal before it reaches the element.
Like I said I am sure MOST paints would not be an issue, but if some is conductive it ceratinly can cause problems.
Metallic paint absolutely does have an effect on signals. Now, if you're listening to relatively strong Vhf and Uhf signals then you may not notice anything.
When I was working on the various 1500 Mhz Inmarsat antennas I was expiramenting with different materials as reflectors. Some metallic paints did reflect the signals off the painted surface or block them when placed in front of the antenna.
Also, it's possible to measure the surface resistance of some metallic painted surfaces. I've done it with a multimeter and I could see the resistance increase as the VOM probes were moved away from each other much like a potentiometer.
My opinion is to forget the metallic paints and go with the epoxy type regular stuff.
When I was working on the various 1500 Mhz Inmarsat antennas I was expiramenting with different materials as reflectors. Some metallic paints did reflect the signals off the painted surface or block them when placed in front of the antenna.
Also, it's possible to measure the surface resistance of some metallic painted surfaces. I've done it with a multimeter and I could see the resistance increase as the VOM probes were moved away from each other much like a potentiometer.
My opinion is to forget the metallic paints and go with the epoxy type regular stuff.
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