OK so on the new antenas (sp) for the vehicles I used solder for the end's but, they are I think a little big and I can not get the end's of the plastic to melt right and if I get the solder the right size then the hole that I make is to big and falls apart or splits. Now I have seen both the balls and the little , how do I explain this, little triangle thing at the top. Kind of like the ball starts off then 3/4 of the way down it is cut off like alittle triangle and has alittle point in the middle of it . I am sure there is a simple sallution out there.

SGT.Busche
US.ARMY, INF

Are you talking about the safety ball on the end of the antennas? If so, I use a dab of Elmer's white glue to replicate the ball. If it doesn't look right, just pop it off and try again. Some times I also heat the end of the stretched sprue until it balls up like the safety ball. This method takes a little more practice.

SGT Busche,
Rob hit it right on the head. For your antenna's try using .015 steel wire instead. It won't curl up on you over time and is very sturdy. For the antenna balls you mentioned try Robs method of white glue. I pour a small amount out on a piece of scrap plastic and dip the antenna end into it and keep doing ths to build up the size of the ball. Letting it dry upside down helps too as gravity pulls the glue towards the eventual top of the antenna. The antenna you are describing sounds like the new ones that are replacing the old 2 section ones we used to use. Is this the case? "Q"

Got any friends who are guitar players?? Ask them to save their old strings for you. I use these exclusivley...The heavier strings with the winding on them makes for great low band antennas too.

kf8xo

Well belive it or not I use trip wire for booby traps because it was already OD in color and is very ridged and used the orange model glue for the balls. I hung them up side down with masking tape and they turned out very good , Thanks guy's for the help.

SGT.Busche
US.ARMY , INF

huh uh huh huh huh uh huh...he said "booby".

Small jewelery beads are another good alternative. I think the booby trap wire is great, but tough to get ahold of over here unless you have some extremist contacts!!

Capn Jack

"Fear not the dark"

Hi!
I´d like to know what colour is suppose to be painted the antennas for modern tanks?
Cheers!

On US equipment, it is a dark green. The standard FM antennae are fiberglass, are two parts that screw together, with a wire imbedded. They are extremely stiff and only the tip of the top half has any bend. AM antennae will vary, but for most military vehicles the FM is standard.