Aluminum Oxide based sandpaper works too. I have use a bit of 3 in 1 oil with AL oxide sandpaper when cleaning element ends. Or just use the Ox-GARD or No-Ox conductive paste (found in the electrical department of HD or Loews), spread it thin and sand paper away both the OD of the goes-inta end and the ID of the goes-outta end.
At each junction, once the tubing is fit and clamped, check with an ohm meter. You can buy AL Oxide in bulk if you wish to make your own batch of conductive grease. Maybe the resident chemist, KS5V, has a comment on the make-up of conductive grease...Dan??? 73..RH From: BVARC [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Travis Burgess via BVARC Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2016 7:28 AM To: [email protected] Cc: Travis Burgess <[email protected]> Subject: [BVARC] Refurbishing Aluminum Antennas The following was copy/pasta from the GQRP Yahoo group today: Travis, K5HTB <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/GQRP/conversations/topics/54070;_ylc=X3 oDMTJxbWUzdXQ2BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzExNDg1NARncnBzcElkAzE3MDUwNjMxMDgEbX NnSWQDNTQwNzAEc2VjA2Rtc2cEc2xrA3Ztc2cEc3RpbWUDMTQ2NTI4OTEzNw--> refurbing Ali antennas Tue Jun 7, 2016 12:32 am (PDT) . Posted by: <mailto:[email protected]?subject=Re%3A%20refurbing%20Ali%20antennas> "Dominic Baines" DomBaines Over on CDXC I saw this post and thought this snippit of advise might be useful for those (like me) that service the Ali antenna bits from time to time and get rid of the creepy crawlies that setup home in the traps. It worked too, I used these plumbers strips used to clean up copper tubing before soldering. Apologies to those that already knew this. The author is Vic G4BYG, who is in my log a few times since 2012 (160m contest), I do not know if he is a GQRP member or not but he seems to love messing with antennas according to my notes. ".... strip of Emery Cloth dipped in petroleum jelly (Vaseline!!!) and then rub on both mating surfaces till you get a nice grey conductive paste. This is the method we used when joining (by clamps) Aluminium Bus Bars above telephone exchange racks. Stops oxidisation. Used this method for years on telescoping ally tubing with no problems. Its CHEAP and effective.:-) HINT !!! Most Copper Slip is NON conductive. Try dipping your multimeter probes into the gump and see just how Open Circuit it is. " 72 Dom M1KTA
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