2 Meter - 70cm Super J-Pole

[W5LZ]

There are a number of mounting options. They range from that threaded stud and a 'regular' antenna mount of the same thread, to just extending that bottom vertical section and dropping it down into a mast. There won't be a 'huge' difference in any of them really. Some differences, sure, but nothing earth shattering. So decide what's most practical for you and have at it. Is it going to be the best thingy in the world? Sure! Till you figure out a better way of doing things. That happens a lot...
- 'Doc

 

[CharlesS]

Several days I was going to buy a new antenna for the 2 meter radio that I use in the garage, but decided I would try to fabricate a super J pole instead.
I used 2 lengths of 3/4" copper (63" and 19") and instead of soldering the SO 239 to the outside of the 19" pipe I decided to try a different design where I replaced the 90* with a T and drilled a hole in a copper cap to mount the SO 239 then fastened it inside with a nut. I used stranded 12 ga antenna wire as the center lead and applied shrink tube so that I could route the wire up thru the inside of the pipe, drilled a hole 3" up the short pipe and then soldered it 2" up on the longer pipe.
Capped both the short and long pipes and tested the SWRs; the initial readings were 1.2-1.3 across 144-148 Mhz.
Mounted the J pole on a house vent and compared the RX/TX signal strengths to the Cushcraft Ringo AR 270 that I was presently using.
Reports on simplex using 5 watts where that the TX signal was 1/2 scale at a friends and now the signal is 3/4 scale.
The difference in testing times were within 5 minutes of each other and the distance was about 7 miles.
I can now transmit further and receive weaker signals.
The best part of the project is that it cost me nothing since I had all the parts laying around as scrap material.

AR-270 [CUS-AR270] - $175.00 : Radioworld