Groundplate & galvanic corrosion

charles_reed

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Just before I left the UK I fitted an SSB, with a Groundplate.

This is used with, not only SSB radios, but with a number of other devices - composed of a number of gold-plated sintered bronze balls it claims to give an enormous RF groundplate area.

This winter I discovered evidence of considerable galvanic corrosion to some A4 316 stainless fittings on the rudder.

When I tried to clean the groundplate it was well and truly zinc plated.

So be aware that such goundplates form an extremely effective galvanic couple and will soon (in my case 15 months) waste any anodically unprotected metals below the waterline.

Well one should have guessed - gold is at the top of the scale.

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