Painting Radome

[contrail Bob]

Goodmoring all, I want to paint the radome used with the satalite system on top
of the coach. It's the origional factory white and I would like to paint it to
match the A/c's on top. I understand you cannot use a metalic paint or primer,
anything else I should consider. Thanks, Bob 99LX..Illinois

[Curt Sprenger]

Paint Additives To Avoid on Radomes
In general, the objective is to provide an electromagnetically transparent coating which will not affect the
radiation properties of the antenna. In order to prevent problems, the paint manufacturer should be

advised to only provide products which do “NOT” contain any electrically conductive or metallic (either
ferrous or non ferrous) materials. Examples of these materials typically used in paints are; graphite,
carbon, red oxide, metallic flakes, etc ...


Curt Sprenger
1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
Anaheim Hills, CA

On Sat, Oct 3, 2009 at 8:17 AM, contrail Bob <"rhowald@frontiernet.net"> wrote:

 

Goodmoring all, I want to paint the radome used with the satalite system on top of the coach. It's the origional factory white and I would like to paint it to match the A/c's on top. I understand you cannot use a metalic paint or primer, anything else I should consider. Thanks, Bob 99LX..Illinois

[GARY MINKER]

Curt is right but you can NEVER know what paints will have traces of metals, any metals and your shiny new antler becomes deaf as a post or stupid. This is a common problem in Broadcast antenna work. People buy the cheap paint and wonder why the radome caught fire. Gary 85 PT-40 --- On Sat, 10/3/09, Curt Sprenger wrote: From: Curt Sprenger Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Painting Radome To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Saturday, October 3, 2009, 11:27 AM Paint Additives To Avoid on Radomes In general, the objective is to provide an electromagnetically transparent coating which will not affect the radiation properties of the antenna. In order to prevent problems, the paint manufacturer should be advised to only provide products which do “NOT” contain any electrically conductive or metallic (either ferrous or non ferrous) materials. Examples of these materials typically used in paints are; graphite, carbon, red oxide, metallic flakes, etc ... Curt Sprenger 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing" Anaheim Hills, CA On Sat, Oct 3, 2009 at 8:17 AM, contrail Bob <rhowald@frontiernet .net> wrote: Goodmoring all, I want to paint the radome used with the satalite system on top of the coach. It's the origional factory white and I would like to paint it to match the A/c's on top. I understand you cannot use a metalic paint or primer, anything else I should consider. Thanks, Bob 99LX..Illinois

[Dorn Hetzel]

I suspect you might be able to tell whether or not paint contained measurable metals

by microwaving a sample in a glass container and watching for sparks

Dorn Hetzel

77FC35

Hogansville, GA

On Mon, Oct 5, 2009 at 4:40 PM, GARY MINKER <"garym33407@yahoo.com"> wrote:

 

Curt is right but you can NEVER know what paints will have traces of metals, any metals and your shiny new antler becomes deaf as a post or stupid.  This is a common problem in Broadcast antenna work.  People buy the cheap paint and wonder why the radome caught fire. Gary 85 PT-40 --- On Sat, 10/3/09, Curt Sprenger <"curtsprenger@gmail.com"> wrote: From: Curt Sprenger <"curtsprenger@gmail.com"> Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Painting Radome To: "WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com" Date: Saturday, October 3, 2009, 11:27 AM   Paint Additives To Avoid on Radomes In general, the objective is to provide an electromagnetically transparent coating which will not affect the radiation properties of the antenna. In order to prevent problems, the paint manufacturer should be advised to only provide products which do “NOT” contain any electrically conductive or metallic (either ferrous or non ferrous) materials. Examples of these materials typically used in paints are; graphite, carbon, red oxide, metallic flakes, etc ... Curt Sprenger 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing" Anaheim Hills, CA On Sat, Oct 3, 2009 at 8:17 AM, contrail Bob <rhowald@frontiernet .net> wrote:   Goodmoring all, I want to paint the radome used with the satalite system on top of the coach. It's the origional factory white and I would like to paint it to match the A/c's on top. I understand you cannot use a metalic paint or primer, anything else I should consider. Thanks, Bob 99LX..Illinois

[GARY MINKER]

Hi I am afraid the only reliable ways are mass spectrometry and capacitance on a thin film surface. Mass spec I can't do, Capacitance I can but that is only partially reliable. the data sheets from the manufacturer are best but some times a poor judge of the R.F. affects. Painting radomes is never a good thing. Stains are a safer bet but not always reliable due to minerals. --- On Mon, 10/5/09, Dorn Hetzel wrote: From: Dorn Hetzel Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Painting Radome To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Monday, October 5, 2009, 5:34 PM I suspect you might be able to tell whether or not paint contained measurable metals by microwaving a sample in a glass container and watching for sparks Dorn Hetzel 77FC35 Hogansville, GA On Mon, Oct 5, 2009 at 4:40 PM, GARY MINKER <garym33407@yahoo. com> wrote: Curt is right but you can NEVER know what paints will have traces of metals, any metals and your shiny new antler becomes deaf as a post or stupid. This is a common problem in Broadcast antenna work. People buy the cheap paint and wonder why the radome caught fire. Gary 85 PT-40 --- On Sat, 10/3/09, Curt Sprenger <curtsprenger@ gmail.com> wrote: From: Curt Sprenger <curtsprenger@ gmail.com> Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Painting Radome To: WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com Date: Saturday, October 3, 2009, 11:27 AM Paint Additives To Avoid on Radomes In general, the objective is to provide an electromagnetically transparent coating which will not affect the radiation properties of the antenna. In order to prevent problems, the paint manufacturer should be advised to only provide products which do “NOT” contain any electrically conductive or metallic (either ferrous or non ferrous) materials. Examples of these materials typically used in paints are; graphite, carbon, red oxide, metallic flakes, etc ... Curt Sprenger 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing" Anaheim Hills, CA On Sat, Oct 3, 2009 at 8:17 AM, contrail Bob <rhowald@frontiernet .net> wrote: Goodmoring all, I want to paint the radome used with the satalite system on top of the coach. It's the origional factory white and I would like to paint it to match the A/c's on top. I understand you cannot use a metalic paint or primer, anything else I should consider. Thanks, Bob 99LX..Illinois

[Dorn Hetzel]

Paint a big sheet of plastic with the paint and hold it in the beam-path of your directv dish while watching the signal meter on the setup menu of the satellite box

On Mon, Oct 5, 2009 at 9:18 PM, GARY MINKER <"garym33407@yahoo.com"> wrote:

 

Hi I am afraid the only reliable ways are mass spectrometry and capacitance on a thin film surface.  Mass spec I can't do, Capacitance I can but that is only partially reliable.  the data sheets from the manufacturer are best but some times a poor judge of the R.F. affects.  Painting radomes is never a good thing.  Stains are a safer bet but not always reliable due to minerals. --- On Mon, 10/5/09, Dorn Hetzel <"dorn@hetzel.org"> wrote: From: Dorn Hetzel <"dorn@hetzel.org"> Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Painting Radome To: "WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com" Date: Monday, October 5, 2009, 5:34 PM   I suspect you might be able to tell whether or not paint contained measurable metals by microwaving a sample in a glass container and watching for sparks Dorn Hetzel 77FC35 Hogansville, GA On Mon, Oct 5, 2009 at 4:40 PM, GARY MINKER <garym33407@yahoo. com> wrote:   Curt is right but you can NEVER know what paints will have traces of metals, any metals and your shiny new antler becomes deaf as a post or stupid.  This is a common problem in Broadcast antenna work.  People buy the cheap paint and wonder why the radome caught fire. Gary 85 PT-40 --- On Sat, 10/3/09, Curt Sprenger <curtsprenger@ gmail.com> wrote: From: Curt Sprenger <curtsprenger@ gmail.com> Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Painting Radome To: WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com Date: Saturday, October 3, 2009, 11:27 AM   Paint Additives To Avoid on Radomes In general, the objective is to provide an electromagnetically transparent coating which will not affect the radiation properties of the antenna. In order to prevent problems, the paint manufacturer should be advised to only provide products which do “NOT” contain any electrically conductive or metallic (either ferrous or non ferrous) materials. Examples of these materials typically used in paints are; graphite, carbon, red oxide, metallic flakes, etc ... Curt Sprenger 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing" Anaheim Hills, CA On Sat, Oct 3, 2009 at 8:17 AM, contrail Bob <rhowald@frontiernet .net> wrote:   Goodmoring all, I want to paint the radome used with the satalite system on top of the coach. It's the origional factory white and I would like to paint it to match the A/c's on top. I understand you cannot use a metalic paint or primer, anything else I should consider. Thanks, Bob 99LX..Illinois

[GARY MINKER]

That is a super idea. Make sure you try the raw plastic first so your results are accurate --- On Tue, 10/6/09, Dorn Hetzel wrote: From: Dorn Hetzel Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Painting Radome To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2009, 9:27 AM Paint a big sheet of plastic with the paint and hold it in the beam-path of your directv dish while watching the signal meter on the setup menu of the satellite box On Mon, Oct 5, 2009 at 9:18 PM, GARY MINKER <garym33407@yahoo. com> wrote: Hi I am afraid the only reliable ways are mass spectrometry and capacitance on a thin film surface. Mass spec I can't do, Capacitance I can but that is only partially reliable. the data sheets from the manufacturer are best but some times a poor judge of the R.F. affects. Painting radomes is never a good thing. Stains are a safer bet but not always reliable due to minerals. --- On Mon, 10/5/09, Dorn Hetzel <dorn@hetzel. org> wrote: From: Dorn Hetzel <dorn@hetzel. org> Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Painting Radome To: WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com Date: Monday, October 5, 2009, 5:34 PM I suspect you might be able to tell whether or not paint contained measurable metals by microwaving a sample in a glass container and watching for sparks Dorn Hetzel 77FC35 Hogansville, GA On Mon, Oct 5, 2009 at 4:40 PM, GARY MINKER <garym33407@yahoo. com> wrote: Curt is right but you can NEVER know what paints will have traces of metals, any metals and your shiny new antler becomes deaf as a post or stupid. This is a common problem in Broadcast antenna work. People buy the cheap paint and wonder why the radome caught fire. Gary 85 PT-40 --- On Sat, 10/3/09, Curt Sprenger <curtsprenger@ gmail.com> wrote: From: Curt Sprenger <curtsprenger@ gmail.com> Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Painting Radome To: WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com Date: Saturday, October 3, 2009, 11:27 AM Paint Additives To Avoid on Radomes In general, the objective is to provide an electromagnetically transparent coating which will not affect the radiation properties of the antenna. In order to prevent problems, the paint manufacturer should be advised to only provide products which do “NOT” contain any electrically conductive or metallic (either ferrous or non ferrous) materials. Examples of these materials typically used in paints are; graphite, carbon, red oxide, metallic flakes, etc ... Curt Sprenger 1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing" Anaheim Hills, CA On Sat, Oct 3, 2009 at 8:17 AM, contrail Bob <rhowald@frontiernet .net> wrote: Goodmoring all, I want to paint the radome used with the satalite system on top of the coach. It's the origional factory white and I would like to paint it to match the A/c's on top. I understand you cannot use a metalic paint or primer, anything else I should consider. Thanks, Bob 99LX..Illinois