When one thinks of antenna damage, one usually thinks of fierce storms, hurricanes, cyclones, tornadoes and typhoons as the culprits; with violent cracks of lightning striking antennas or raging winds tearing at arrays and tossing them into the heavens like toothpicks, etc.!

Some DA-RC Members know, however, that there’s a whole lot more hazards which can threaten a vulnerable array; dangers which — while not as perilous to humans as some WX catastrophes — can render a cherished ‘super-signal-sender’ useless, or even worse, as mere aluminium scrap.

One of the most destructive of those is birds.  Pigeons, Indian Mynas, Swallows, Starlings, Sparrows and more, roosting and/or perching on antennas is a major issue for

many hobbyists and while 1 or 2 small squawkers can do little harm, 20-30 of the animals — or even a whole flock — can be lethal to an array.

The most susceptible antennas to these feathered perils are horizontal ones such as yagis, and to a lesser extent, quads.

While some hobbyists suggest a new family cat, here’s a couple of possible solutions to deter birds and, so, protect your precious antenna…

OPTION 1: Bird Spikes

Heavy duty UV stabilized poly carbonate bird spikes can be fixed directly to your antenna to keep pigeons and other pesky birds from landing there and also messing your roof.

Some bird spikes are clear so as to improve aesthetics as well as very tough to resist event the most persistent birds.

Birds that land on antennas can produce a large amount of faeces over time and ruin the look of roof as well as contaminate your rain water tanks.

Bird spikes work by reducing the area on antennas for bird to land on. Because the birds cannot land on the antenna, the bird spikes will not harm them.

Because the bird spikes are made from poly-carbonate material it will not interfere with your TX signal either.

OPTION 2: Bird Repellent Gel

This is an excellent non-toxic, non harmful gel that is used to repel nuisance birds from around homes and buildings, such as ledges, signs, beams, pipes, walls, fences, roof tops, light poles, etc.

You can use the Bird Repellent Gel as an alternative to Bird Spikes as it can defend most areas for up to a quarter of the cost of Bird Spikes.

Unlike some other nasty Bird Repellent Gels, past and present, the Bird Gard Bird Gel is environmentally friendly in comparison.  No need to feel bad then about forcing the animals along to another resting place hihi.  Here are some other facts worth considering…

• Birds do not get stuck in the Bird Gard Bird Gel.
• Birds do not lose their feet in this Bird Gel.
• Bird Gel will not wash off if it rains and does not dissolve in water. It is impervious to heavy torrential rain.
• The Bird Gel is rated to survive up to 80 degrees Celsius, so it will not melt in summer heat and make a mess like some other Bird Gels.
• Unlike other products it is easy to remove with detergent and water.
• The Bird Gel has a life span of up to 2 years which is double that of other products.
• Being partially vegetable based the thicker the Bird Repellent Gel is applied the longer it lasts before it breaks down naturally.

So, if birds are a hazard to your array then get off the shack chair and do something about it.  Bird spikes and gel are just two strategies that protect an antenna from harm — not to mention save you a whole lot of money!