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102" whip base install
- Thread starter fasteddie
- Start date
Generally, a radial ought to be as long as the vertical part of the antenna. That makes both 'sides' of the antenna 'even', or electrically balanced. Which is just another way of looking at a vertical 1/2 wave dipole. Bending/tilting that radial a bit is the same as 'drooping' the legs of a dipole, just makes impedance matching easier.
With ground mounting, if you copper plate the dirt a radius the same as the length of that single radial, you got a real live "groundplane" antenna! That's where that 'groundplane' thingy came from to start with you know...
- 'Doc
That 'copper plating' thingy isn't necessary at all. 'Chicken wire' fence will work just dandy too. So would a sheet of cast iron, but that's getting kind'a much, you know?
With ground mounting, if you copper plate the dirt a radius the same as the length of that single radial, you got a real live "groundplane" antenna! That's where that 'groundplane' thingy came from to start with you know...
- 'Doc
That 'copper plating' thingy isn't necessary at all. 'Chicken wire' fence will work just dandy too. So would a sheet of cast iron, but that's getting kind'a much, you know?
So you can just attach the whip to the pole and it will work...but you will do a lot better if you can create some radials. Also you'll need to check your SWR to make sure it's reasonable.
With a 102" stuck in the ground I was able to talk 35 miles and had a okay SWR. I added another antenna as a radial and it had an adjustable whip so it could adjust for SWR.
Later added some additional radials from some broken Elements I had lying around.
Silly project and didn't spend much time on it but it works amazingly well.
If I ever get some time I'll put up a real antenna again but after 4 months of positive results with this ugly duckling I'm tempted to just be lazy. Antenna has a flat match on 11 meters and under 1.7 on 10 meters,
Just don't ask me to talk into the North Pacific. No radial in that direction
Can you tell us the brand/model of the antenna used as the radial?
Also, from everything I've read and been told, when using a 102" steel whip for a base antenna the radial(s) should be slanted downward at approximately 45 degrees to achieve the desired impedance. In the antenna shown above, the radial is horizontal. Is it because the radial is a base-loaded antenna?
Still learning.
Thanks.
When I did mine a while back I just went from the antenna mount with 4 pieces of 108" wire at an angle to the earth and taped them to the para cord I was using as guy wires. As for tuning I used a wilson antenna shaft to extend the 102 and then a file to cut the whip to length. A few guys on here had posted pics and I used them as a guide. With all the fabrication your better off saving for a ground plane or A-99 or I-max. Good luck
Thanks, Bamm.
Slanted radials seem to be the norm. Am trying to figure out why the radial in the pictures above is horziontal.
With all the money I've spent making homemade antennas, I could have my Moonraker! But it wouldn't do too good on my 15' mast.
Thanks, Bamm.
Slanted radials seem to be the norm. Am trying to figure out why the radial in the pictures above is horziontal.
With all the money I've spent making homemade antennas, I could have my Moonraker! But it wouldn't do too good on my 15' mast.
Determine this by experimenting. No two installations will EVER be identical.
I've got a metal roof. Ground plane for a 102" whip is no problem. I once put a magnetic mount base up with a 102" whip and was amazed at how well it worked.
I also once stuck a 102" whip on a mirror mount up on 20' of plumbing pipe. For a ground plane, I took 2 sections of speaker wire cut to 108" each. It worked very well.
I also once stuck a 102" whip on a mirror mount up on 20' of plumbing pipe. For a ground plane, I took 2 sections of speaker wire cut to 108" each. It worked very well.
IMO the 1st setup below, which is not the same as in images 2,3,4, will not work except for maybe listening to nearby signals...and even that will not be very good under the conditions noted. Check out the post #5 by Quicksilver noted at the bottom of this post. I also commented back then in post #8, saying the same thing as now.
Regarding your question about the brand/model, I'm assuming you're referring to the in images 2,3,4. It looks to be similar to what you posted from RS earlier. You can see that is pretty much what is described in the attached drawing. If this element is base loaded and resonant in 11 meters...then the length will make little to no difference as you can tell just using your radio. Sorry that the other three images attached to the image above...did not make it with my post.
Good Luck!
Your probably better off setting up a dipole, or a I-10K.
I tried and tried. Got the antenna to tune well, but performance was poor at best. Your gonna need radials, and get it up as high as you can.
You may have better luck....
My attempt:
Even after QS added a horizontal radial plus 4 additional wires...you will read he still got poor results and doesn't recommend this setup. I think most of his problem was, however, due to his lack of height and trying to radiate a good signal with all the obstructions in the way, being so low to the Earth .
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I have one of these and it works very well. http://www.hyelectronics.com/BASE-ANTENNA/productinfo/M400/
Used the included chart and adjusted the length to the frequency I was going to use it on and it was perfect on the SWR. I have it on a 25 ft. pole and it works extremely well. The only thing I would change would be to get it higher.
Used the included chart and adjusted the length to the frequency I was going to use it on and it was perfect on the SWR. I have it on a 25 ft. pole and it works extremely well. The only thing I would change would be to get it higher.
Marconi,
You recommend slanting the radials at about 45 degrees to reach an impedance of about 50 ohms. With my short 15' mast, it would be beneficial to me if they were horizontal. Am wondering the if balun will provide the match I need.
Tallman, I'd love one of those but my mast is too short and housing restrictions won't allow a taller one.
You recommend slanting the radials at about 45 degrees to reach an impedance of about 50 ohms. With my short 15' mast, it would be beneficial to me if they were horizontal. Am wondering the if balun will provide the match I need.
Tallman, I'd love one of those but my mast is too short and housing restrictions won't allow a taller one.
My ground radials are even with my gutters and currently it is sitting only 15 ft above the ground You can barely see the antenna from the street. If you are having problems with a HOA and you are amateur licensed It is illegal for them to interfere with your station operation. The ARRL has started taking HOA's to court over this infringement.
There are long wire antennas that can be hidden in the attic or attached around the to exterior of the house that would be very hard to see.
I'm just alowly CB'r, Tallman. Looked into amateur radio but would only be interested running QRP on HF. Don't want to cause a neighborhood stir and the only transceiver and HF multiband antenna option that appealed to me was the Yaesu 817ND and an Alexloop. But the cost was discouraging.
I really enjoy the challenge of DXing barefoot on my Cobra 25 LTD but am antennaless at the moment. Have made a couple of homebrew base antennas out of Firesticks in the past but am thinking of using a 102" whip. It's the slanted radials that're causing me problems.
I really enjoy the challenge of DXing barefoot on my Cobra 25 LTD but am antennaless at the moment. Have made a couple of homebrew base antennas out of Firesticks in the past but am thinking of using a 102" whip. It's the slanted radials that're causing me problems.