First antenna in the air!

[KC2UGV]

Don't know if "in the air" is really appropriate, but I got my 2M dipole (Was vertical in my attic at the old QTH) attached to a little bracket off the garage.

It's nice being able to hear stuff on the radio again :mrgreen: Next up: Figuring how to run my fan dipole. I don't have the benefit of an attic (Well, a crawl space); and my lot isn't conducive to an inverted V. I think I may just have to sink a tower, at least a decent TV antenna tower attached to my garage like my landlord at the old place had. Not sure.

This Saturday, I'm throwing something up, be it a single wire, just to get to hear (And, maybe QSO on low power) because I'm dying to get this shack at least functioning 100%, even if sub-optimally for now.

[W5GA]

Corey, check out a 4-BTV, and add 12/17m to it with some PVC and a couple bits 'o wire. Doing it that way allows QRO, which the factory made add on's don't. Don't know how big your lot is, but there's no law saying radials A: have to be in a circle and B: that they have to run in a straight line. I did mine with some years ago with 32 radials of various lengths, none measured as doing so when they are on the ground is a waste of time. The longest was about 35', the shortest was about 20', all arranged in a bow tie going E/W. Worked like gangbusters...one the OK section in the ARRL DX test a few years in a row.

And, by the way...those antennas are CHEAP!

[KC2UGV]

I've got to check that antenna out. House just isn't in the right position to do an inverted V (Well, I guess it could be...), and I don't think a fan dipole will work here. But, I might have to ask my Realtor(TM) ham-friend, N2KKM what her opinion is :D

KELLI! I NEED A SITE SURVEY! lol

[N8YX]

+1 on the 4BTV. I would think about the 6BTV version inside some PVC pipe, disguised as a flagpole. You don't need the capacity hats and other such protruberances of the 4 and 5-BTV series with the 6-band setup so flag-poling one is easy.

What type of rig do you own? Any chance of using a remote tuner and random wire/radial system with it? I own several Icom transceivers which can interface to an AH-2 antenna tuner via control and bandswitching cable; if I was in your situation I might consider mounting the tuner on a plate then using a nearby tree to support a cage monopole. Feed the cage element with the tuner and lay down a bunch of radials as a counterpoise.

An inverted L also works good in this application.

[KC2UGV]

+1 on the 4BTV. I would think about the 6BTV version inside some PVC pipe, disguised as a flagpole. You don't need the capacity hats and other such protruberances of the 4 and 5-BTV series with the 6-band setup so flag-poling one is easy.

What type of rig do you own? Any chance of using a remote tuner and random wire/radial system with it? I own several Icom transceivers which can interface to an AH-2 antenna tuner via control and bandswitching cable; if I was in your situation I might consider mounting the tuner on a plate then using a nearby tree to support a cage monopole. Feed the cage element with the tuner and lay down a bunch of radials as a counterpoise.

An inverted L also works good in this application.

My rig is an FT-840. I could do the remote tuner, it'd have to wait till I get the dollars lined up, but it's doable. Disguised? Pfft! No HOA's here lol

I might give the inverted L a shot, can't hurt, and it's all fun. I've got plenty of wire to do it, and plenty of coax.

[W3WN]

Are you patriotic?

If you are, and your front yard is decent sized (with no inconvenient overhead electrical wires in the wrong place), then I have three words for you:

Flag. Pole. Vertical.

...I have to finish the front steps tonight (ran into a few problems last night, nothing insolveable but I need another stringer & a few more 2x4's), then some more railing. That's tonight & tomorrow, weather & school open house permitting. Saturday & Sunday, the 4' x 12' extension on the side. And THEN I install the FPV.

[WØTKX]

I have all this room, and I only have a 144/440 Arrow J-pole up. I better hurry up.

Though I think I'll get it together before 'IzE does. :stickpoke:

[KG4CGC]

Have you considered a dual band configuration set up as a slopper?

[NQ6U]

Have you considered a dual band configuration set up as a slopper?

Slopper? Is that an antenna made out of a bedpan?

[KG4CGC]

Slopper? Is that an antenna made out of a bedpan?

Bedpan, tin can, king of Siam, body slam. The Slopper antenna can be a longwire or a dipole.

[N8YX]

Better tie a grid leak detector to that thing lest all the electrons escape.

[K7SGJ]

Bedpan, tin can, king of Siam, body slam. The Slopper antenna can be a longwire or a dipole.

Would that make him the sloppee?

[KG4CGC]

Better tie a grid leak detector to that thing lest all the electrons escape.

Simply electrons disguised as smoke but can you wrap an insulator around it? Depends™

[KC2UGV]

I have all this room, and I only have a 144/440 Arrow J-pole up. I better hurry up.

Though I think I'll get it together before 'IzE does. :stickpoke:

I think I might get my antenna tower up before 'Ize gets his wire strung lol

[NQ6U]

I think I might get my antenna tower up before 'Ize gets his wire strung lol

You'll probably have a tower and tribander up, plus a vertical with all the radials in the ground before IZE puts the strap on his slingshot.

John: My 11-year old grandson and I hung a 40m dipole in about 30 minutes one Saturday morning. What's stopping you?

[KA9MOT]

Hmmmm.... I just happen to have a Cushcraft R7 in the back of my truck that is going to the hamfest on the 22nd. I'd sell it cheap to an Islander..... might eve be willing to break it down and label everything for shipping.

Manual here: http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=2838

No radials needed! The counterpoise is attached to the antenna and mine are missing, but MFJ sells new ones for $7.20 each. This antenna needs 7 of them.

[W3WN]

Hmmmm.... I just happen to have a Cushcraft R7 in the back of my truck that is going to the hamfest on the 22nd. I'd sell it cheap to an Islander..... might eve be willing to break it down and label everything for shipping.

Manual here: http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=2838

No radials needed! The counterpoise is attached to the antenna and mine are missing, but MFJ sells new ones for $7.20 each. This antenna needs 7 of them.
OK, I'll bite. What do you want for it?

I had a 20+ year old AV4 that was nice to use as a "portable" antenna (just stick a pole in the ground and throw some radials under it), but it's gone now. I wouldn't mind having another antenna for that purpose, if I could scrape the shekels together.

[KA9MOT]

Ron,
I just emailed my QTH ad to you along with a message.

[KC2UGV]

You'll probably have a tower and tribander up, plus a vertical with all the radials in the ground before IZE puts the strap on his slingshot.

John: My 11-year old grandson and I hung a 40m dipole in about 30 minutes one Saturday morning. What's stopping you?

Ok, so my fan dipole was up before John got his dipole up.

The fan went up this weekend, and shockingly, the wife is fine with it. Can't be seen from the front of the house. I think she got a bit of a chuckle, since the house next door is for sale right now, with a broker who is a snake (Prism Realty). I think she secretly hopes it makes it harder to sell the house lol

I don't think I like it, however. I'm sure "It Works", but the feed line is only about 4 ft from the nearest legs, and runs nearly the same path. I think I'm going to shoot for an inverted L as suggested here. I might be able to get 80 meters to finally tune up, because right now, 80 and 160 are impossible to tune for.

[W3WN]

Ron,
I just emailed my QTH ad to you along with a message.And my wallet got clobbered by the boss. So if you get an offer, don't wait on me.

[KB3LAZ]

Ok, so my fan dipole was up before John got his dipole up.

The fan went up this weekend, and shockingly, the wife is fine with it. Can't be seen from the front of the house. I think she got a bit of a chuckle, since the house next door is for sale right now, with a broker who is a snake (Prism Realty). I think she secretly hopes it makes it harder to sell the house lol

I don't think I like it, however. I'm sure "It Works", but the feed line is only about 4 ft from the nearest legs, and runs nearly the same path. I think I'm going to shoot for an inverted L as suggested here. I might be able to get 80 meters to finally tune up, because right now, 80 and 160 are impossible to tune for.

Hope you get it working to your expectations. In the meantime, any antenna is better than none. :) Enjoy.

[KC2UGV]

Hope you get it working to your expectations. In the meantime, any antenna is better than none. :) Enjoy.

That's what I figured. As far as antennas, grounding, etc; I don't let the chase for perfection stop operation. My 2 meter antenna is currently 10ft AGL lol

[KB3LAZ]

That's what I figured. As far as antennas, grounding, etc; I don't let the chase for perfection stop operation. My 2 meter antenna is currently 10ft AGL lol

The problem with chasing perfection is that the ideal of perfection is ever changing. There are always improvements to be made. Fun is is the way to go.

[W7XF]

And my wallet got clobbered by the boss. So if you get an offer, don't wait on me.

Always happens that way, Brother Ron!!!! :lol: