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View Full Version : Choice of Paint for use over Copper foil Antennas


Charlie Precourt
December 1st 03, 11:54 PM
Quick question regarding the copper foil antennas....

I have a Vari-Eze and have successfully used Jim Weir's RST copper foil
antennas for years in my canard and winglet. It is time to repaint the
aircraft and I was about to decide on PPG DP epoxy primer (white) and an
acrylic urethane topcoat (white) made by Spies Hecker (German company)....
Then I recalled reading one of RST's newsletters about the foil antennas
where it was reported there had been a paint incompatibility problem on one
occasion....(Antenna didn't work possibly because of high metal content in
the paint?) What type paint caused the problem and have you any newer data
that would confirm (or not) that I am OK using the paint combination I
mention above?

thanks

Charlie Precourt

Jim Weir
December 2nd 03, 02:51 AM
I be damned if I can find any information. Twenty years ago, some dude wrote me
that his antennas were totally wiped out because of "some German paint". I
couldn't get any more information from him, nor have I had any other
confirmations of this phenomenon.

My wild ass guess is that the "dude" screwed up installing the antennas as was
more willing to attribute the foulup to "paint" rather than "craniorectal
insertion".

Jim






"Charlie Precourt" >
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

->Quick question regarding the copper foil antennas....
->
->I have a Vari-Eze and have successfully used Jim Weir's RST copper foil
->antennas for years in my canard and winglet. It is time to repaint the
->aircraft and I was about to decide on PPG DP epoxy primer (white) and an
->acrylic urethane topcoat (white) made by Spies Hecker (German company)....
->Then I recalled reading one of RST's newsletters about the foil antennas
->where it was reported there had been a paint incompatibility problem on one
->occasion....(Antenna didn't work possibly because of high metal content in
->the paint?) What type paint caused the problem and have you any newer data
->that would confirm (or not) that I am OK using the paint combination I
->mention above?
->
->thanks
->
->Charlie Precourt

->



Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

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