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Author Topic: Antenna Advice  (Read 38545 times)
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ka4koe
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« Reply #50 on: July 14, 2014, 08:14:57 AM »

I visited Home Despot this past weekend to acquire some wire (pronounced "war", rhymes with "tar"). The wire was advertised on the internet at around $40 for a spool of No. 14 AWG THHN stranded, 500'. Upon entry, I noted that nary a spool was anywhere....however, loose wire was for sale by the foot on their vertical lazy susan at 0.25/foot. This works out to more than 3x the price per foot for a prepackaged spool. I left the store and made a note that Home Despot will be the last on my list for various and sundry electrical supplies.

In any event, frequent spectacular storms this weekend precluded any antenna work. The ladder snap kit arrived on Friday.

PAN
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« Reply #51 on: July 14, 2014, 08:31:30 AM »

Home Depot is last on my list of the big box stores.  In this area Menards has excellent pricing and stock levels and Farm and Fleet often has good prices on electrical stuff.  After that I hit Lowes and to me Home Depot is a great place for soccer moms to shop for generic decorating crap. Smiley

Just put on your scruffy clothes and go steal some copper wire out of an under construction home like the meth heads Sad  Two years ago one or more of them stole about $5,000 worth of copper and did over $100,000 in damage to a gravel quarry operation in the area.  Unfortunately not enough of them try to steal live wire and fry themselves in the process.
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ka4koe
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« Reply #52 on: July 14, 2014, 09:31:02 AM »

I designed a project about 10 years ago that consisted of converting a Publix into a shopping mall. Complete gut and redesign. Ton of electrical, 277/480 and 120/208, lighting, power, data, fire alarm, mucho blinkies and flashies, and worth lots of grey hair. One morning the foreman came on site and noted that all of the already pulled copper wire (about 50K worth) was missing. It was an inside job.

Subs these days typically install covert CCTV cameras and alarm systems. Copper prices have gone thru the roof due to Chinese demand and other factors. Today the price is $3.27/pound.
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« Reply #53 on: July 14, 2014, 03:21:28 PM »

I visited Home Despot this past weekend to acquire some wire (pronounced "war", rhymes with "tar"). The wire was advertised on the internet at around $40 for a spool of No. 14 AWG THHN stranded, 500'. Upon entry, I noted that nary a spool was anywhere....however, loose wire was for sale by the foot on their vertical lazy susan at 0.25/foot. This works out to more than 3x the price per foot for a prepackaged spool. I left the store and made a note that Home Despot will be the last on my list for various and sundry electrical supplies.

In any event, frequent spectacular storms this weekend precluded any antenna work. The ladder snap kit arrived on Friday.

PAN

Lowe's pretty much carries the same stuff in a variety of colors for around $38:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_293645-295-11579058_0__?productId=50149804&Ntt=wire+14&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dwire%2B14&facetInfo=

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ka4koe
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« Reply #54 on: July 15, 2014, 07:51:54 AM »

Yep.....they were out too. The local electrical supplier near Ft. Stewart had what I needed in stock at competitive pricing. Big plus: small stores are not crowded.
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ka4koe
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« Reply #55 on: July 15, 2014, 07:54:06 AM »

Home Depot is last on my list of the big box stores.  In this area Menards has excellent pricing and stock levels and Farm and Fleet often has good prices on electrical stuff.  After that I hit Lowes and to me Home Depot is a great place for soccer moms to shop for generic decorating crap. Smiley

Just put on your scruffy clothes and go steal some copper wire out of an under construction home like the meth heads Sad  Two years ago one or more of them stole about $5,000 worth of copper and did over $100,000 in damage to a gravel quarry operation in the area.  Unfortunately not enough of them try to steal live wire and fry themselves in the process.

A soldier stole some wire on-base here. I was asked to testify (as an electrical engineering expert) but never called. I think the guy is in Leavenworth now. I don't want to spend the remainder of my adult life making high quality furniture at that place as well as forced participation in activities I'd rather not discuss in a "G" rated forum.
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ka4koe
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« Reply #56 on: July 27, 2014, 09:14:24 AM »

Construction underway using Ladder Snap...finished up 100 feet of ladder line in about 3 hours.


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« Reply #57 on: July 27, 2014, 03:13:23 PM »

Where's the LIKE button?
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« Reply #58 on: July 27, 2014, 04:54:17 PM »

 Looks Good! I'm thinking of something along these lines myself, Looks like you have a lot more space than I do with my 100' X 50' typical Bay Area lot.

 Right now I have a fan dipole, section for 80 and 40, I'm using a tree on the far corner of my property line that is 10 feet in from the corner on the property line. The dipole is in a very tight V, you gotta fit it where it will fit!

 The plan is the have a local tree guy put a redwood 2X4 up at the top of tree, it's a Redwood too, so I can gain another 15 or 20 feet in height. Once that is done then it's time to rethink the antenna, 600 ohm ladder line using the spreaders you have and a 130 foot dipole and my Johnson Match Box.

 When I get closer to doing the antenna I'll probably post here for some advice.


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ka4koe
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« Reply #59 on: July 27, 2014, 11:16:50 PM »

Finished up today prior to temps getting into the 90s. Its been pow'ful warm here.
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ka4koe
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« Reply #60 on: July 28, 2014, 08:19:34 AM »

Used a dog leash anchor as well!


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ka4koe
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« Reply #61 on: July 28, 2014, 08:21:29 AM »

Construction underway using Ladder Snap...finished up 100 feet of ladder line in about 3 hours.

Notice that the slits in the lawn chairs were almost exactly the width needed! Really helped in getting the spacers at waist height for assembly.
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« Reply #62 on: July 28, 2014, 09:50:42 AM »

Quote
ka4koe
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Re: Antenna Advice
« Reply #56 on: Yesterday at 10:14:24 AM »
Quote
Construction underway using Ladder Snap...finished up 100 feet of ladder line in about 3 hours.

Very nice.
"Stairway to Heaven"

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ka4koe
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« Reply #63 on: August 01, 2014, 08:02:05 AM »

The die has been cast and we've crossed the Rubicon....I took down the venerable inverted L and will erect my open wire feedline doublet soon.
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« Reply #64 on: August 01, 2014, 11:58:19 AM »

Other than on 160 meters, you'll likely have a far better signal. Enjoy!
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ka4koe
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« Reply #65 on: August 01, 2014, 01:24:18 PM »

160 radiation model plots


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ka4koe
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« Reply #66 on: August 05, 2014, 11:07:37 AM »

Got the 180' doublet about 50% installed this past weekend at which point my friend's "Big Shot" malfunctioned and we adjourned due to the heat.

Here is a Big Shot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIitgJ0M5dk

The apex is going to be at least 60' up and the two outlying trees are far enough apart that we will not need to droop the ends. The final configuration will be an inverted vee with about a 150 central angle.

Woke up Monday morning with a whole bunch of itchy red bug bites....they must be impervious to DEET.

I figure this will be a 3 weekend project. Next weekend, finish erection. The following weekend, run balanced line into the attic and to my Mad Scientist Shack of Doom. I think I may have a proper Frankenstein Switch lined up as well.
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« Reply #67 on: August 05, 2014, 10:22:48 PM »

Chiggers are fun, are they not?   Grin
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« Reply #68 on: August 06, 2014, 10:41:27 AM »

Clear nail polish over every chigger hole. Asphyxiate the lil' buggers.
Red nail polish if you want to clear the room.
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ka4koe
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« Reply #69 on: August 07, 2014, 04:14:06 PM »

Oh, yes they are! Still need to chop up a felled tree into little pieces with a chainsaw. I am putting a lot of effort into this so it ups the likelihood it won't function well at all.
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ka4koe
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« Reply #70 on: August 10, 2014, 02:07:57 PM »

A friend and I finished up the antenna erection. The apex is at 60'. We'll work on the feedline routing next weekend. Looking good!


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ka4koe
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« Reply #71 on: August 17, 2014, 02:57:28 PM »

FINISHED!!!

Completed routing of open wire line through the attic to my shack. Seems to load up fine using the Heathkit SA2060. No arcing or sparking at 1200W. My only complaints.....

1. Insulation sure makes you itch BAD.
2. Roofing nails don't feel good at all on the bottom side when they scrape over the top of one's skull.

We'll do some "smoke tests" tonight and see how it plays.

...addendum

Contacts on 40m...statements such as "hearing you 10x better than I ever have".

So preliminary results suggest the doublet is cooking with gas.

Philip
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« Reply #72 on: August 20, 2014, 10:52:43 AM »

hi Feeleap ....heard you last night on 75 mgr SAMRC net on 3885 .... at least an s unit stronger here than befo' ... one thing, do you have some sort of lightning arrestor on that open wire befo it comes in the attic .... I used a small piece of aluminum angle bracket with 2 tractor spark plugs (no resistor element, please) to ground ....has taken 2 hits to the tower so far with no ill effects ...recommended
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ka4koe
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« Reply #73 on: August 20, 2014, 01:05:14 PM »

My solution is simple. I have a quick disconnect for the aerial run to the house in the middle of it. It's low enough to reach. So, when not in use, I disconnect the antenna side of the feedline and move the ends to a very large ground rod directly below the suspension point. I don't plan on leaving this behemoth connected while away from home during prime lightning season.

I also got a tetanus booster yesterday as I was a year overdue: didn't want to take any chances on that nail-head injury.
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ka4koe
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« Reply #74 on: August 20, 2014, 07:26:31 PM »

Rats. Roller inductor No. 2 has a bent shaft end. Gotta try to straighten it for the balanced tuna.
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