Spray painting a Solarcon A99 antenna

[Lazybones1222]

I suggested spray painting a white Solarcon A99 antenna flat black to help "stealth it" before putting it up in a pine tree. One person said it could affect the SWR of the antenna.

Comments?

 

[FL Native]

aslong as its not a metalic it will be fine.

i find they are more stealth leaving them white if your put it out the top of the tree. the white blends with the sky. black will stand out.

 

[Master Chief]

Epoxy paints!

http://www.repeater-builder.com/antenna/antenna-painting.pdf

http://www.cq-vhf.com/Fall05Antennas.html

 

[DXman]

This will work good on aluminum antenna's and Krylon makes Camo paints that are good also.
*non-metalic*

This paint is a tough epoxy, can apply several coats to make a very durable finish. It is used a lot on firearms - stainless steel barrels, aluminum parts and fiberglass etc.
Comes in 13 colors.

 

[DXman]

As far as SWR goes - nothing changed on my 10K when I painted it with the above paint.

 

[Master Chief]

I forgot to add, according to Solarcon, painting the A-99 will give you 14.5db gain!!!

 

[EDUK8TR]

As far as SWR goes - nothing changed on my 10K when I painted it with the above paint.

What color did you choose? One suggestion I read one time was sky blue to blend in with sky. I never really bought into that but wondered what neural color would be best for all conditions.

 

[Cheech]

I still like my tape tron 99 :shock: nothing makes an antron look new like white electric tape! Also used green electric tape to camo a 102 in the bushes at Chong as some of you may have heard I like the tape thought on my antron becouse it keeps the water off the fiberglass so the match dont change in the rain and the best part no more fiberglass make people itchy! 8)

 

[Highland Ranger]

I painted my IMAX grey . . . . . . disappears in the trees.

 

[2M Guy]

I did the tape thing. Used black and green. Started at the bottom so the water runs over the tape, instead of into. Can't see it from the road.

 

[DXman]

EDUK8TR,
I used the Parkerized Gray...almost disappers when darkness falls.

When I would come out of the store at night I would look out across the parking lot for my shinning 10k, it was no problem to find the truck. But not now, now I have to look for the truck and not the antenna.

I will get a picture of the antenna today or tomorrow and post it.

 

[Beetle]

Flat black is not a good choice. It's very conductive because of its high carbon content, whether it's wet or dry. Avoid it, and avoid paint with metal particles in it, like zinc. It can be pretty conductive also.

 

[DXman]

These are old pictures that I found - looks like I should of down sized them a little more.

 

[Cheech]

I did the tape thing. Used black and green. Started at the bottom so the water runs over the tape, instead of into. Can't see it from the road.

Yeah I did the same thing for the same reason. one layer of black cheap tape(the thick stuff) then 3M white. was going to go with heat shrink tubing but for the price of the tubing I could have bout a new antron :shock:

 

[Chong]

102

that 102" whip was camoed good till they found the coax then i was shut down i hate apartments