RD>> One of the great old debates here locally,and still is,was to use
 RD>> some sort of conductive grease to coat the entire long-wire to prevent
 RD>> corrosion. End result was uusally a real sticky,gooey mess in the
 RD>> summer as the greese  got to running like sap off the antenna.
 II> Use a heavier grease?  And I don't believe it would need to be 
conductive.
 II> After all, you can use insulated or uninsulated wire for an antenna and
 II> either works as well, doesn't it?   :-}
 The problem Ivy with a silicone based grease is that it attracts dirt and 
contamenents (sp?) to the wire and the dirt can hold moisture causing it to 
start corroding all over again.
 I want to try to avoid that,so will be coating my next dipole with something
we get here called rubber-dip. Going to coat the whole dipole with it and see 
how long it lasts before I need to replace it.
 As the wire was cheap and the rubber dip free,it will be a good experiment 
for
me to see what happens.
 II> I recommend the really heavy 2-conductor "drop line" that the phone Co.
 II> uses to run from the pole to the house.  That has two farly heavy solid
 Too expensive for me to get in any great amount.
 Not to mention I would have to buy 500 -feet- of it in one shot to get what 

need for the dipole.
 II> That's what I am suggesting - the drop line, not the inside-wiring 
tuff,
 II> which is a lot weaker, and would stretch pretty bad in a 40- or 80-Meter
 500 foot roll is around the $300 mark at the one supplier I found that had 
it.
 Wouldn't cut me off 100 feet and said I had to buy the whole roll.
 Not likely.
 II> Seal it with silicone bathtub calk.
 As silicone bathtub caulk cures it gives off a gas that can prmotes 
orrosion
far faster in whatever it is used on.
 I have seen a base aluminum antenna that had silicone used at the joints 
turn black at those joints over a year.
 Beside which it is a pain to get off whatever you put it on.
 Mainly your own fingers,tools,shirt and jeans!
--- GoldED 2.42.G1219
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