nuckollsr(at)cox.net Guest
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Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 1:25 pm Post subject: Composite planes, Metallic paint, and Antennae |
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At 12:17 PM 3/5/2006 -0500, you wrote:
Quote: |
Bob: Thanks for the second prompt response. After considering your
recommendation for an experiment, a logical approach indeed, I
am reconsidering my
paint choices. Since I have six internal antennas in my Lancair, both in
the
upper aft fuse and each wing tip and since I would like each to operate as
well as possible, I now think using any metallic coatings may be a bad
idea.
Why introduce even a 20% degradation in performance if it can be avoided?
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Whoa . . . I'm not suggesting for a moment that ANY paint you test
will produce any noticeable degradation. Odds are that it will produce
no effects you can observe. Further, if you DO conduct a test for a
particular
combination of coatings and find that it has no observable effect (or
perhaps
only barely twitches the readings) . . . that's GOOD data to share with
others.
Quote: | So rather than metallic, I think I will use pearl (plastic additives
rather than
metallic) to achieve the desired effect. It is a bit more difficult to
apply and touch up, but it shouldn't effect nav/com reception--should
it? paul
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Probably won't . . . but there's no calibration on "probably". So much
of what passes for good advice is based on subjective observations.
A builder who reports great antenna performance and never talks to
stations more than 10 miles away might get similar results with a
wet string. On the other hand, a builder who is disappointed that
he can't hit an RCO out on the horizon of some leg of a favorite trip
might have an entirely different opinion on the same antenna. There's
nothing like numbers from the repeatable experiment to add real value
to one's advice.
Even if backyard experimenting is not your bag . . . risks
for using the paint you described are very low.
Bob . . .
< What is so wonderful about scientific truth...is that >
< the authority which determines whether there can be >
< debate or not does not reside in some fraternity of >
< scientists; nor is it divine. The authority rests >
< with experiment. >
< --Lawrence M. Krauss >
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