Sidebar Sidebar
  • You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.

Base Antenna Coax length,Best Coax and best Antenna under $250.00

Dipole ground?

If I were to make a homemade 1/2 wave dipole say, out of two 102" stainless steel whips,would the negative element need to be grounded to the metal standoff support bracket that would be bolted to a galvanized pipe mast or do i. I isolate it from ground with a gap device to short lightning to ground?
 
A dipole is a 'complete' antenna, it doesn't need an RF ground at all. So, no, grounding the 'negative' element isn't going to be of any benefit.
And to complicate it just a bit more... All RF is AC, alternating current. That means that during half of that RF cycle the 'negative' element becomes the 'positive' element. So how do you only ground the 'negative' element when it changes polarity? :)
- 'Doc
 
No ground

I'm learning about antennas myself. I noticed a homemade dipole antenna on a different site that used plexiglass for the center connector. AC just stereo speakers operate. But wouldn't there be a need to provide a way to earth ground in case of a lightning strike? A sparkplug would suffice. I was thinking about making a dipole I forementioned having the vertical positive element with the negative element at 110 degrees from the top one or make a slanted one. Maybe even an inverted v. Thanks for the info.
 
Last edited:
Unless that mount is for a vertical dipole, it's mounted wrong by 90 degrees. Even if it's for a vertical dipole, going strictly by how it's shown in the picture, it'll be a terrible way of doing it without a non-conducting mast to hold it up there. Just on the face of it, I have a suspicion those people don't know what they are talking about, at least in displaying what they mean.
- 'Doc
 
A need for lightning protection? Certainly wouldn't hurt. Forget that 'sparkplug' or any spark-gap type of thingy for lightning protection. By the time the charge has built up enough to bridge the gap it's already into your equipment. Using an in-line lightning protection device is certainly possible and a good idea. They are not 'sparkplug' simple though. Several companies sell them. "ICE" was mentioned I think, they do have a good one.
---
How about using plexiglass for that center insulator? No reason why you can't. It just has to be an insulator, at least fairly easy to work with, and strong enough to not break easily. Any fairly 'hefty' plastic/wood/bakelite/whatever that doesn't conduct electricity can be used.
- 'Doc
 
Dipole

W5LZ said:
Unless that mount is for a vertical dipole, it's mounted wrong by 90 degrees. Even if it's for a vertical dipole, going strictly by how it's shown in the picture, it'll be a terrible way of doing it without a non-conducting mast to hold it up there. Just on the face of it, I have a suspicion those people don't know what they are talking about, at least in displaying what they mean.
- 'Doc
Click to expand...

I agree. It would have to use a non conductive mast. I found this dipole mount,however,the center piece is metal.
K1CRA Radio Store - DMOUNT Dipole Mount for HF Stick Antennas Details
 
I'm afraid most of what I saw on that site is just generic and common, nothing 'special' at all. I think with just a little shopping around you could probably beat those prices with no trouble.
I'm afraid any business 'featuring' 'Isotron' antennas is someplace I wouldn't even think about doing business with. That's a personal thingy, I don't expect anyone will feel the same way about it.
- 'Doc
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • @ BJ radionut:
  • @ Tim Chambers:
    Pres. Bill 2 FCC mod just posted
  • @ AWP:
    Is it possible to be on a lake and have a homing directional beam being emitted from the shore so a person could navigate to that beam's source? For example at night to a jetty.
  • @ BJ radionut:
  • @ BJ radionut:

    June VHF

    The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, information and resources.
    www.arrl.org www.arrl.org


      Top Bottom
      Back