potting my radio! - RF Cafe Forums

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wsemajb
Post subject: potting my radio! Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2006 1:35 pm

Captain

Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2005 1:50 pm
Posts: 11
Hello y'all

I've got a Senao usb wifi device with an external antenna connection.
Great little unit. I anticipate using it on my boat this summer. That may require a little ruggedizing against water and handling. The case is not even minimally water resistant and the SMA connector, while of good quality, is not going to bear up to supporting a decent sized antenna mast should I wish to use a larger one. Hmm.

I've sucessfully potted things in the past with common two part epoxy, but this is a more sensitive, and expensive, piece of equipment than those. I did some research on the web and found warnings against using epoxy with smc's. Shrinking, high Tg, etc. This unit does not seem to produce great amounts of heat. There are no sinks on the board and no vents in the case. The unit gets slightly warm while operating.

I'd really like to pot it for waterproofing and to provide rigidity for the SMA coax connection. There is an adhesive specialty vendor in the neighborhood, they have samples of many products (since I can scarcely justify two quarts of expensive compound for this one use), but they can't provide good advice for my application. What compound should I be asking them for?

Thanks for any help.

Posted 11/12/2012