[Antennas] Best "stealth color" for masts?

Thu Oct 12 20:11:10 EDT 2006

Hi,
I've contracted to have all the siding replaced on my 14x65 mobile home, 
which will require taking down most of my wire antennas etc. that are 
presently supported on various push-up poles mounted to the walls. When the 
job is finished I intend to re-do my very modest antenna farm in a somewhat 
more organized fashion (it just grew by chance). The roof mounted Butternut 
HF-2V will remain where it is.
As I mentioned, this "farm" consists of various antennas arranged on various 
"Push-up" poles that support inverted Vees etc., all side mounted on the 
mobile home (about all the real estate that I have).
My MAJOR and most used antenna is not for ham radio at all, but rather is a 
home-brewed "E-Field Probe" for LF (50-530KCs). It is presently on it's own 
push-up pole, which I don't intend to put back up. The actual antenna is 
housed in a 12 inch piece of 1.24 inch Sched 40 PVC pipe that is mounted on 
a 10 foot section of the same (to get it up and away from the metal support 
mast). The top is presently only 27 feet in the air, 16 feet above the 
metal roof. Raising this antenna from the ten foot above roof level to the 
present 16 feet made a large improvement in the noise floor of the receiver 
(from the noise field surrounding the house) and improved signal strength at 
the same time.
My intent when I put the antennas back up is to put this antenna (and it's 
10 foot mast) on the push-up pole that presently supports the 20 meter 
inverted Vee and the end of the 40 Meter wire antenna. The actual E-Field 
probe will be some 15 feet above said antennas, sticking up probably about 
36-40 feet in the air. It SHOULD really work well there, but that white PVC 
pipe will certainly be visible from anywhere in the mobile home park!
I considered painting it "Sky Blue" but wonder if some other color like a 
dull gray (to match the smog ;-) or something would present a lower profile? 
I'd probably spray the push-up pole to match. The trailer is pale blue (and 
will be repainted the same), so if I did use that it would be color 
coordinated 8^)
73 de Phil, KO6BB
DX begins at the noise floor!
THE BEACONEER'S LAIR: http://www.geocities.com/ko6bb/
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Merced, Central California, 37.3N 120.48W CM97sh