Old VHF Antenna

J

Joey Clams

Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
RO Number
31634
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1
Can anything be done with my old VHF antenna so that you don't get fiberglass splinters when you brush against it? Can it be painted or given a coat of fiberglass resin without affecting its performance? Thanks in advance.
 
"Can it be painted or given a coat of fiberglass resin without affecting its performance?"

Yes. Be sure to use a coating that does NOT contain metal ( ie: most colors of standard paint contains titanium dioxide, for instance ). Note that such coatings are not cheap.

The simplest way is wipe it down with a coat of epoxy resin.

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That said, performance can degrade over time. If it is really old, then you might consider replacement. That way you get a nice new smooth finish, and top performance as well. A new VHF antenna is not all that expensive.
 
As Bill said, paint or coat it. Just wet sand it first. And wear gloves.
 
How about a temporary fix. What's the stuff everyone wipes on their power cord after the acetone ? Floor wax ? Personally I would use the resin. As for cheap replacements, I know $50.00 isn't a lot, but sometimes boat money must be prioritized. The 'must have' safety items first, then preventative maintenance, then cosmetics. Then you get to start all over again. It's a boat.
 
$50 will buy your a crappy antenna which will adversely effect your radio transmission and reception. Stick with a high quality antenna for quality radio use. It could a matter of life and death.....
 
I gave my old Shakespeare antenna a new clearcoat almost 10 years ago and it still looks like new. It had fiberglass splinters along edges of the wound fiberglass.

Wear gloves and a particle mask.

Give the fiberglass a light scuffing with 320 grit sandpaper in one direction only: from the base of the rod to the tip. Don't overdo it. You just want to scuff the surface to improve adhesion of the finish.

Soak a cotton rag in acetone and give the rod a good rubbing to clean the surface and to remove most of the the fiberglass splinters.

Mask the base and rubber tip and allow the antenna to dry completely.

Buy a spray can of acrylic clear coat or lacquer and give the antenna a couple of coats. As long as the antenna has no other issues besides failure of the original clear coat it will work as good as new.
 
If the gelcoat or clear coat is off the antenna can you imagine what the shield or braid looks like or the jacket of the cable that is exposed to the same elements? I would replace it VHF antennas have seen some improvements over the last 10 years.
Bill
 
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