I'm building a few yagis for 432 and two meters and need a source for
stainless steel push on retainer rings, sometimes called push nuts
(incorrectly) to fit element diameter of 3/16" aluminum rod. I know they are
made but cannot find a source searching with Google. Any help here would be
appreciated. I have the spring steel variety but they rust after 2 or 3
years so the antennas have to be taken down and the retainers replaced.

Don't know of a source for stainless steel in that size, unfortunately.

www.smallparts.com has retaining rings in stainless, but not for
anything smaller than 1/4" diameter. Their RE series is zinc-plated
spring steel, with the exception of the RE-02 and RE-03 (the latter is
for 3/16" shafts) which are beryllium copper. Perhaps this latter
would do, if you coated the aluminum rod with a copper-to-aluminum
compatibility compound to reduce electrolytic interaction?

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!