"Ralph Mowery" wrote in message
...

"Micky" wrote in message
...
My car's radio antenna doesn't fully retract when the radio is off and
it's really cold out. I know it needs to have the mast lubricated,
but the only "oil" I can find now is Sta-bil, the gasoline stabilizer.
Do you think that would work?

More important and with deeper electonic meaning, is it possible that
actual oil say, or any other lubricant, getting between two of the
telescoping sections of the car antenna could impede the electrical
current which is the radio signal? Even if oil conducts electricity
(does it?) the conductivity is less than the metal in the antenna, so
wouldn't there be a partial reflection at the junction between metal
and oil and again between oil and metal, and twice again between the
next larger concentric piece of tubing that is the antenna? About 10
junctions in all, I think, for my 6-section antenna.

Or do the pieces of antenna even have to touch each other for them to
act as one antenna? I know there are signal reflectors that don't
have to touch the antenna, say for an indoor radio, plus my hand
sometimes affects reception, but reflection is different from
reception.

Do they have to touch and would too much oil interfere in their
touching?

Sounds like you already have too much oil and the cold oil is causing
problems. You might try some of the silicon luberciation.

Yes, the antenna sections do need to touch. If just a light coating of
oil is used the sections should penetrate the oil coating and make
contact.
I doubt you could really put too much oil on them to prevent electrical
contact, but too much oil might cause mechanical problems of it going up
and down. You did not try to use some grease on them did you?



It may be better if the sections touch, but if the radio wave made it miles
through the air I think it could handle another millimeter.