"John Popelish" wrote in message
...
Joe S. wrote:
(snip)
I have found a source of anti-oxidant grease that's used on electrical
connections and I will put this stuff on the connector-mount junction to
prevent further oxidation. Here's the question: Do I loosen the nut and
put grease between the nut and the antenna mount -- similar to putting
thermal grease between a heat sink and the surface of a transistor -- or,
do I tighten the nut and smear grease on the outside, not on the mating
surfaces? I suspect I should put the grease on the mating surfaces
between the nut and the mount -- loosen the nut, smear on grease, tighten
the nut.

The anytioxidant has to be in intimate contact with the metal surfaces
before they are clamped together. Here is a site that tells how to use
one version, Penetrox-A. The details are about 1/4 of the way down:
http://www.inspect-ny.com/aluminum/alreduce.htm#1A

John:

THANK YOU!!! Exactly what I needed -- I don't know how you found that -- I
spent an hour searching with Google for various combinations of
anti-oxidant, antioxidant, applying, application, etc., etc.

I'll pick up a tube/can/jug/whatever of Penetrox tomorrow at my local
electrical supply house, disassemble both antenna mounts and connectors,
"abrade" them thoroughly, and slap the Penetrox onto every metal-to-metal
junction.

Thanks again.

73,
Joe

Joe S. wrote:

John:

THANK YOU!!! Exactly what I needed -- I don't know how you found that -- I
spent an hour searching with Google for various combinations of
anti-oxidant, antioxidant, applying, application, etc., etc.

It took a few tries, including adding the words [aluminum copper
electrical] to reduce the diet pill adds.

I'll pick up a tube/can/jug/whatever of Penetrox tomorrow at my local
electrical supply house, disassemble both antenna mounts and connectors,
"abrade" them thoroughly, and slap the Penetrox onto every metal-to-metal
junction.

For aluminum, (which oxidizes almost instantly in contact with air)
they recommend coating the surface and then doing the final abrading,
so the fresh surface has no contact, at all, with air, before the
joint is assembled. It sounds a little like trying to make a dry
joint under water.

"John Popelish" wrote in message
...
Joe S. wrote:

John:

THANK YOU!!! Exactly what I needed -- I don't know how you found that --
I spent an hour searching with Google for various combinations of
anti-oxidant, antioxidant, applying, application, etc., etc.

It took a few tries, including adding the words [aluminum copper
electrical] to reduce the diet pill adds.

I'll pick up a tube/can/jug/whatever of Penetrox tomorrow at my local
electrical supply house, disassemble both antenna mounts and connectors,
"abrade" them thoroughly, and slap the Penetrox onto every metal-to-metal
junction.

For aluminum, (which oxidizes almost instantly in contact with air) they
recommend coating the surface and then doing the final abrading, so the
fresh surface has no contact, at all, with air, before the joint is
assembled. It sounds a little like trying to make a dry joint under
water.

Thanks for pointing out that procedure. I noticed that in the instructions
you sent and I figured the rapid oxidation of aluminum was the reason.