Aluminum or Stainless steel shaft?

I bought a new radio last week so now of course I'm going over every little piece to make sure I'm getting the most outta it.

My current antenna set-up is a Wilson 2000 using a 24" SS shaft. I know you can't buy a 24" but I have family who owns a machine shop so he made me one.

I recently ran across a thread on here where it skewed off topic and a few people were debating aluminum shafts vs stainless. Is there a difference? and why?


And if you came in here because your dirty mind seen shaft and you laughed then go sit in the corner.

 

I've been running that lower shaft for a few months already. Definatly went with a heavy duty mount.

The stinger is still 49". The antenna is slighty tilted forward to keep the reflection from the truck down and help avoid limbs and dealing with the wind.

Everythings been great with the old radio and the new. SWRs are 1.1 1.3 and 1.5. Just got a new toy and it makes me reevaluate everything.

 

I believe it was your discussion that start it all. Thanks.

Price and availability isn't the issue. I have 0 resistance on both the antenna and the coax. The antenna is not bonded any special way other than thru the mount which also has 0 resistance. I have some straps and I'm looking at a radial ground plane just haven't pulled the trigger. But I'm not sure about the radial ground plane either.

 

Wouldn't a solid core shaft be more efficient than a hollow core?

With the tensile strength of aluminum being less than SS I'd worry about breaking it off and losing the entire antenna and damaging the coax.