To Paint or Not To Paint. That Is The Query

[Vanishing Point]

So I got tired of not having a compass in my truck having replaced the stock Sirius/GPS antenna with a marine Sirius Antenna. So I bought the stock dual antenna and mounted it above the roof rack so it could get a great signal. And it is working so well. As part of the project I decided to protect the new dual antenna by mounting it under a cover. To shield it from weather. I am unable to tell from the product description as to whether or not the acrylic blocks UV light. I figure if I paint it then it will stop UV rays but as of now I'm not sure. I'd like for it to block UV light. Any plastic scientists here?​

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On the other hand right now people often stop me and ask what that thing on the roof is. I guess they think I'm spying or something. Which is interesting but I figure someday I might run into a real nut job who might not take kindly to my truck's look. Not sure that painting the acrylic white will help that?​

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[jav_eee]

I want a rack to mount radio antennas like you. But without the extra riser. What is that laird antenna for?

 

[Vanishing Point]

I want a rack to mount radio antennas like you. But without the extra riser. What is that laird antenna for?

There's two laird antennas up there, the second one is out of the picture to the left. The antenna you see is going to be for my GMRS radio. The disk is the ground plane. The whole aluminum floor is the ground plane for a VHF antenna I have mounted in the center. I'm working to get power installed before the radios. Power is going to be a separate Lithium Ion battery recharged by a solar panel so my communication system will be separate from the truck electronics.

Other antenna.

 

[jav_eee]

There's two laird antennas up there, the second one is out of the picture to the left. The antenna you see is going to be for my GMRS radio. The disk is the ground plane. The whole aluminum floor is the ground plane for a VHF antenna I have mounted in the center. I'm working to get power installed before the radios. Power is going to be a separate Lithium Ion battery recharged by a solar panel so my communication system will be separate from the truck electronics.

Other antenna.

Very cool. Exactly what I had in mind for my dual band antenna. Did you put it on that square piece so that you can remove the antenna mount and not have a hole?

 

[chorky]

So I got tired of not having a compass in my truck having replaced the stock Sirius/GPS antenna with a marine Sirius Antenna. So I bought the stock dual antenna and mounted it above the roof rack so it could get a great signal. And it is working so well. As part of the project I decided to protect the new dual antenna by mounting it under a cover. To shield it from weather. I am unable to tell from the product description as to whether or not the acrylic blocks UV light. I figure if I paint it then it will stop UV rays but as of now I'm not sure. I'd like for it to block UV light. Any plastic scientists here?​

​

On the other hand right now people often stop me and ask what that thing on the roof is. I guess they think I'm spying or something. Which is interesting but I figure someday I might run into a real nut job who might not take kindly to my truck's look. Not sure that painting the acrylic white will help that?​

​

​

So to clarify you went from a stock sat antenna, to a aftermarket, back to stock, but inside this cover? I'm assuming you got that at a marine store, so it should be UV rated. But maybe paint the whole thing white to match your truck and blend in more.

 

[Vanishing Point]

Very cool. Exactly what I had in mind for my dual band antenna. Did you put it on that square piece so that you can remove the antenna mount and not have a hole?

I did it for ease of maintenance and access. If I ever have to work on the antenna base or wire beneath it I can just undo the panel. The hole under the small panel is 3 ot 4 inches if I remember correctly. There are Rivnuts underneath so all I have to do is unscrew the bolts from the top and remove the panel. Also if I ever find cause to change to an antenna needing a different mount or hole I can just build a new panel (15 minute to 20 minute job). I'm older and don't want to have to undo the big panels or the rooofrack to work on stuff.

 

[Jefe1018]

What are we writing sql statements here? Nerds, all of y'alls.

 

[Vanishing Point]

So to clarify you went from a stock sat antenna, to a aftermarket, back to stock, but inside this cover? I'm assuming you got that at a marine store, so it should be UV rated. But maybe paint the whole thing white to match your truck and blend in more.

Sort of correct. I went from stock antenna, built a ground plane which meant the stock antenna did not work anymore, mounted a marine Sirius Antenna because I didn't ever use my trucks GPS so I figured I wouldn't miss it, didn't realize my truck's compass needed the GPS, realized I used the Compass a lot and did miss the compass, removed the marine Sirius Antenna from its mount, could not fit the cover back over Dual Sirius/GPS antenna tgat I put back on the mount, bought a cover for a CCTV camera, fabricated a mount to mount the cover and the antenna to the marine Sirius Antenna base and mounted it all back together.

These are the rabbit holes we often go down when we do projects. One solution begats another problem. So the cover you see is for a security camera and not the original plastic cover for the Marine antenna. As such I believe it was meant for a covered environment such as a porch or a lobby. I know some acrylics are designed to block UV light but I'm not sure about camera covers.

I read all about painting acrylic plastic but that might begat another adventure.

 

[chorky]

Sort of correct. I went from stock antenna, built a ground plane which meant the stock antenna did not work anymore, mounted a marine Sirius Antenna because I didn't ever use my trucks GPS so I figured I wouldn't miss it, didn't realize my truck's compass needed the GPS, realized I used the Compass a lot and did miss the compass, removed the marine Sirius Antenna from its mount, could not fit the cover back over Dual Sirius/GPS antenna tgat I put back on the mount, bought a cover for a CCTV camera, fabricated a mount to mount the cover and the antenna to the marine Sirius Antenna base and mounted it all back together.

These are the rabbit holes we often go down when we do projects. One solution begats another problem. So the cover you see is for a security camera and not the original plastic cover for the Marine antenna. As such I believe it was meant for a covered environment such as a porch or a lobby. I know some acrylics are designed to block UV light but I'm not sure about camera covers.

I read all about painting acrylic plastic but that might begat another adventure.

Being it's a cover for CCTV I would bet it is UV stable.

 

[Vanishing Point]

What are we writing sql statements here? Nerds, all of y'alls.

I'm guessing if I was truly a nerd I'd know what a sql statement was.

 

[Jefe1018]

I'm guessing if I was truly a nerd I'd know what a sql statement was.

Hope I helped you get a Sunday chuckle in.

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