Hi Group,

What is the best cleaner to shine up my 2 meter beam?

de KJ4UO

On 07 Oct 2004 02:49:44 GMT, (PDRUNEN) wrote:
What is the best cleaner to shine up my 2 meter beam?

Hi OM,

Baking Soda and Vinegar - but why bother, gonna turn it into a
heliograph?

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

PDRUNEN wrote:
Hi Group,

What is the best cleaner to shine up my 2 meter beam?

de KJ4UO

Assuming it's aluminum, I like Brasso. Or just 3M pads with a good rinse.

A 3M pad was worth about .4 dB on a range for me once at 432Mhz on a
17dB antenna. The antenna had been outside for about 2 years in MN.

tom
K0TAR

Try Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish. When I was in basic training, there
was a guy that brought a can of Mother's with him. His stuff looked so much
better than the rest (everyone else was using Brasso) that they told him he
couldn't use it unless he supplied it to everyone. Yes, it's that good.

"Tom Ring" wrote in message
. ..
PDRUNEN wrote:
Hi Group,

What is the best cleaner to shine up my 2 meter beam?

de KJ4UO

Assuming it's aluminum, I like Brasso. Or just 3M pads with a good rinse.

A 3M pad was worth about .4 dB on a range for me once at 432Mhz on a
17dB antenna. The antenna had been outside for about 2 years in MN.

tom
K0TAR

CW wrote:
Try Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish. When I was in basic training, there
was a guy that brought a can of Mother's with him. His stuff looked so much
better than the rest (everyone else was using Brasso) that they told him he
couldn't use it unless he supplied it to everyone. Yes, it's that good.


Thanks, I'll give it a try.

tom
K0TAR

"Tom Ring" wrote in message
. ..
CW wrote:
Try Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish. When I was in basic training,
there
was a guy that brought a can of Mother's with him. His stuff looked so
much
better than the rest (everyone else was using Brasso) that they told him
he
couldn't use it unless he supplied it to everyone. Yes, it's that good.


Thanks, I'll give it a try.

tom
K0TAR

The Mothers works very well depending on how bad the aluminum is gunked up
to start with. Mainly it a finish polish. I tried this but it was cleaning
to a degree I could not justify. Way to much elbow grease for something that
was going to be "tarnished" again soon and not cleaned for years.

try a tube of flitz metal polish and you dont need that much
just squeeze some from the tube to your hand about the size of a pl-259

then just rub it all over the aluminum with the palm of your hand and use
a light force but a strong enough one to make some friction ,
and you will notice the aluminum turns black.
this is good
then while the polish (black ) is still moist wipe off with a soft cloth
like a old bath toel and the more you rub the brighter it becomes and keep
rubbing till all oxidization is off of the antenna .
and then wait like 15 mins and buff it up again and youd be suprised at
how much more oxidization the buffing towel /rag is still taking off and
buff to your desired shine.
ps. you can also use easy off on you aluminum to remove heavy oxidization
but be quick to wipe wash it off, because it will eat your elements ... but
if your quick it works great...
I also shine boots, brass artillery shells and if it aint shiny It aint
worth keeping....
FLITZ can be bought in 5 lb cans.. and its great...
mike beauchamp ve3-tya
"Tom Ring" wrote in message
. ..
CW wrote:
Try Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish. When I was in basic training,
there
was a guy that brought a can of Mother's with him. His stuff looked so
much
better than the rest (everyone else was using Brasso) that they told him
he
couldn't use it unless he supplied it to everyone. Yes, it's that good.


Thanks, I'll give it a try.

tom
K0TAR

i suggest using WD-40 and a scotchbright pad
just spray the element down with WD-40 then wipe with Scotchbright pad
till clean then wipe off with paper tower
works well and low on the elbow grease scale as well

PDRUNEN wrote:
Hi Group,

What is the best cleaner to shine up my 2 meter beam?

de KJ4UO

"PDRUNEN" wrote in message
...
Hi Group,

What is the best cleaner to shine up my 2 meter beam?

de KJ4UO

You might try Noxon liquid (available in grocery stores) and a rag. Probably
easier to use than any kind of pad. I would also dismantle the driven
element, and clean off with steel wool any portion that gets clamped/bolted
together.

Tam/WB2TT

Advice from several gurus as garnered from the news groups over time.

For cleaning aluminum tubing, an antenna guru recommends the use of #0 steel
wool, along with dishwashing detergent. Another guru prefers Scotch Bright.
First wet the aluminum tubing with water and wet the steel wool. Add a small
amount of dishwashing detergent to the steel wool and then scrub the
aluminum. Rinse out the steel wool periodically with water. Then add more
dishwashing detergent to the steel wool and clean again. Rinse off the
aluminum tubing periodically. After cleaning a piece of aluminum tubing,
rinse it thoroughly with clean water and then dry it off with a clean rag.



When assembling an antenna, apply a very thin film of Penetrox-A
anti-oxidant to all of the aluminum-to-aluminum connections. Unless you
totally disassemble and clean the traps, never attempt to clean the outer
aluminum shells of antenna traps as water and steel wool fragments can enter
the traps causing shorts and excessive trap moisture content. When
assembling any aluminum antenna, put a thin layer of based-based anti-seize
compound on all aluminum to aluminum joints.



These are Penetrox-A from the Burndy Corporation or another is Noalox. Never
varnish any antenna - the varnish penetrates into the joints and causes
continuity problems. Painting antennas for stealth can be done. Disassemble
the antenna, apply paint, then scrape away any paint where the aluminum
makes an electrical connection. When restoring an old antenna, consider
replacing all the hardware (nuts & bolts) with stainless steel.


--
The Anon Keyboard
I doubt, therefore I might be



"Tam/WB2TT" wrote in message
...

"PDRUNEN" wrote in message
...
Hi Group,

What is the best cleaner to shine up my 2 meter beam?

de KJ4UO

You might try Noxon liquid (available in grocery stores) and a rag.
Probably
easier to use than any kind of pad. I would also dismantle the driven
element, and clean off with steel wool any portion that gets
clamped/bolted
together.

Tam/WB2TT