aluminum antenna paper

ID: 532162
? aluminum antenna paper 
28.Nov.19 03:41
30

Jeff Miller (USA)
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Jeff Miller

Are there any sources for the "aluminum paper" used inside radios for the FM antenna? The radio I'm looking at (Grundig 2420U) originally had the FM antenna leads (spade lugs) screwed to the aluminum paper, which was glued to the roof of the cabinet interior. At some point, the paper was torn and the connections were broken.

I'm finding "aluminum adhesive tape" online, which seems like it may work, but are there other suggestions, or a purpose-built product? What about using a foil-lined cake box? That would have the paper and foil already merged. Other ideas or solutions?

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aluminum antenna paper 
28.Nov.19 09:26
30 from 1094

Gary Tempest (GB)
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Sometimes under the chassis ali foil is used for screening.  In the past I have replaced that with solid thinnest ali sheet.  It might be possible to do that for the aerial as well.

Gary

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aluminum antenna paper 
28.Nov.19 21:50
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Steffen Thies (A)
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Your cake box solution is probably best to cut precise shapes. Actually a swedish company is or was offering a laser-cut derivative of their drink box sheets as cheap RF-ID antenna.

Steffen
 

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aluminum antenna paper 
20.Jan.20 22:23
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Paul Reid (USA)
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> "aluminum adhesive tape"

Real duct tape? That's much better (thicker) than you need. Also has NASHUA printed in red every foot.

I think more like cigarette pack foil-paper, only maybe a little thicker than what they use today. ANY metal conducts 100X better than free space, but as you note the mechanical robustness is marginal at best. You can't find 30 inches of heavy cigarette foil, unless maybe you start a big cigar factory. 

Since, unlike the factory, you are not literally pinching pennies, and the stuff has many other uses around the home and audio workbench, I'd just get the aluminum duct tape. Nashua 324A is the good stuff, but there are lesser grades and brands.

Nashua Tape 324A

The brandname may come off with paint-thinner (does no electrical harm, just looks funny inside a radio). The glue sticks good and better with heat (duct or tubes). You can leave it on the paper backing, use a different paper more like the original, or stick the foil right to wood/plastic case. You can double-up where it goes to lugs.

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aluminum antenna paper 
20.Jan.20 22:34
284 from 1094

Gary Streeter (USA)
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I second that from Paul.  Go to the hardware store and get aluminum tape that's used in the HVAC industry.  (Different than duct tape that's fabric and sticky.)  You can get plain stuff without the printing, in case that matters to you.  This is what we use in restorations of German (and other) radios.  You don't even have to remove the old stuff, just tape this over it.  This is what we do. 

 

Good luck!

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aluminum antenna paper 
20.Jan.20 22:51
293 from 1094

Jeff Miller (USA)
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Jeff Miller