Windscreen radio aerial

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Wed 14 Mar 2001 14:05
Windscreen radio aerial - Mark Dowling
My Laguna (18 months old) has its radio aerial built into the rear windscreen. The problem is that the connecting wire (which is soldered onto the windscreen) keeps falling off. It's virtually impossible to solder onto the glass and I am despairing at getting decent radio reception.

My Renault dealer wasn't interested and seemed to think I was the only person with this problem.

Any suggestions?
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Wed 14 Mar 2001 20:00
Re: Windscreen radio aerial - John Slaughter
There's no reason why you can't fit a 'standard' aerial to the car, which is likely to be cheaper than changing the rear windscrren.

Regards

Jhn
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Fri 16 Mar 2001 18:49
Re: Windscreen radio aerial - Andrew Hamilton
I wonder if you had tried silver epoxy. I had a failed heater element due to a gap appearing. The epoxy is easily painted on and after using a hot hairdryer it cures and conducts the heater current. It should easily cope with aerial currents. To make it look neat I used masking tape to limit the spread. Not sure what the cost was as I got it from work to bond chips to PCB.
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Sat 17 Mar 2001 14:28
Re: Windscreen radio aerial - Andrew Hamilton
To answer several enquiries by email, one supplier is Maplins the well known electrical catalogue stocked by WH Smith. Website is www.maplin.co.uk
They supply electrically conductive paint manufactured by Electrolube. Part number FY72P, £7.49 inc Vat for 3g phial. Now it sounds expensive but it does go a long way.
Mask the area outside your conductive strip. Apply. Cures in 12 hours or speed up with hairdryer. Resistance after hairdryer is 0.5milliohms per cm. Recommends dry,grease free surface. Shake before use!
If order under £30 inc. vat delivery cost is £2.50, or perhaps your local elec. spares firm will get it.
I have plated gold onto base copper contacts using free wornout plating solution, carbon rod, fabric and drycell battery. Could plate anything conductive but sticks to copper OK.
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Sat 17 Mar 2001 20:42
Re: Windscreen radio aerial - John Slaughter
Andrew

Good point. I've used this in the past to repair damaged heated screen elements. Takes 2 - 3 coats, but with careful masking, it's nearly invisible.

Regards

john
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