14 Dec 11 20:47, Mark Hofmann wrote to All:   
      
      
    MH> My rear defroster repair that i did over a year ago needs to be   
    MH> repaired again.  The last several times I have used it, I keep   
    MH> smelling burnt plastic.  The wire is drawing too much power, melting   
    MH> the wire shielding and the connector.   
      
    MH> Somehow, the silver epoxy must have started to contact my radio's   
    MH> antenna (which is also in the rear window).  That seems to be what is   
    MH> causing the excessive draw all of a sudden.   
      
    MH> I'll be repairing that at some point, soon.  Probably won't have a   
    MH> chance until Christmas week since I will be off work.  Need to clean   
    MH> up the silver epoxy connection and might have to re-do the entire   
    MH> thing.   
      
   Way off the subject line here, but one time, c1994, I built two wave   
   guided Horn antennas for Northrup Aviation in the L.A. area.   
      
   They couldn't get them to work as well as the antennas they already had   
   and I was at a loss as to what the problem was. I found it eventually; my   
   version of the RF antenna loading system to the wave-guide wasn't making   
   full contact. The solution was so easy, and I had been beating my head   
   against the wall for days.   
      
   There is a product called RF grease, it is grease embedded with copper   
   particles. By spreading a small amount of it on the connections, those   
   antennas worked like they were supposed to.   
      
   These antennas were eventually mounted on towers pointed at each other in   
   the California desert and communicated with each other on some secret   
   project that Northrup was doing. I was very impressed with the bandwidth   
   of those antennas and thought they'd be great to have as an Amateur Radio   
   op...   
      
   At the plant in L.A. I didn't have a 'secret' clearance, so some of what I   
   saw is classified, but I did get a fast glimpse of a stealth bomber. When   
   I asked my escort what it was he said; If I told you, I'd have to kill   
   you, so you don't really want to know.'   
      
   In the antenna test facility, they had some secret projects that had to be   
   put away out of site before I could enter the building...inside there was   
   spinning red and yellow lights and a horn that would go until those   
   projects were covered with a tarp or placed out of view.   
      
   It was also my first experience with digital cameras, as the company   
   photographer took pictures of their existing antennas, so I had a sample   
   of what they looked like before I bid on the job. It was a very large   
   camera and it only took him a few minutes to download the files and print   
   the photos for me. I was very impressed, but there wouldn't be any digital   
   cameras available to the general public for at least 4 or 5 years.   
      
      
                   R\%/itt   
      
      
     ,,,By the time you find greener pastures, you can't climb the fence!   
      
   --- Twit(t) Filter v2.1 (C) 2000-10   
    * Origin: SATX Alamo Area Net * South * Texas, USA * (1:387/22)