.64 wave ground plane for 2m

[roadrage]

I need to get off my butt and get my ticket first.

I want to get my radio room set up in my house by next summer. I had always planned on just making a dipole to get me by until I could buy a vertical. After rebuilding my Archer Crossbow .64 Wave, I am thinking about starting to build my own GP for the 2M. I can buy alluminum tubing for the radiator and the radials, and make another matching device. I am wondering how far apart the two antennas will have to be. My house if 40' long and another 15' to the peak of the garage roof (which sits perpendicular to the house. If each antenna is on either side of the house roof, is that enough spacing so one won't have much reactance with the other. I want to keep from having to put it on the garage, as I want to keep my coax lenghts as short as possible.

 

[W5LZ]

roadrage,
If you are talking about 11 meter and 2 meter antennas, I think you can reasonably expect to be able to mount them at almost any distance without them affecting each other -->significantly. Pick a distance. Arm's length? That ought'a work just fine.
- 'Doc

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

That is more than enough room. The smaller 2m antenna will not upset the larger 11m antenna unless it is mounted within about a half wavelength (18 feet) or so due to it being small. The larger antenna will not upset the 2m antenna because the 2m antenna has a very small "area of influence" due to it's small wavelength. You could get away with even a much smaller separation if you wanted but doing what you propose is ideal,actually even better than ideal.

 

[roadrage]

Thanks for the replys. I still need to find that aluminum dealer. They sell aluminum tubing and antennas. They were really cheap too. I can probably make that antenna for about $50-$70, when I'm ready.

 

[Shockwave]

Since the antenna will only be about 6 feet tall, you could consider using Home Depot copper tubing and probably cut the cost in half locally. It should still be less then 8 pounds in copper.

 

[roadrage]

Should I spray it with laquer first? Copper tarnishes pretty bad and I don't know if that will cause any negatives on the performance, down the road. Aluminum seems to keep pretty well. I will say that soldering with a torch will definately keep a copper antenna good and rigid.

 

[W5LZ]

Copper weathering won't hurt anything. If you want to paint it, do so. I favor pink antennas. Electrons leave them faster, tend to go further away from them, you know?
- 'Doc

 

[roadrage]

Copper weathering won't hurt anything. If you want to paint it, do so. I favor pink antennas. Electrons leave them faster, tend to go further away from them, you know?
- 'Doc

My wife would complain less if it was pink. She'd probably think its pretty.

 

[AudioShockwav]

Electrons leave them faster, tend to go further away from them, you know?

:blink::blink::blink::blink::blink::blink:



73
Jeff

 

[wavrider]

Copper weathering won't hurt anything. If you want to paint it, do so. I favor pink antennas. Electrons leave them faster, tend to go further away from them, you know?
- 'Doc

Doc likes everything pink, even his hound dog is painted.

 

[W5LZ]

I've never painted a dog pink! I did paint one silver once. Don't ask...

 

[jazzsinger]

My wife would complain less if it was pink. She'd probably think its pretty.

just make sure it doesn't match her shoe colour, otherwise you may never see it again.

 

[vkrules]

I like the pink bits!, hang on that's another story. No need to paint the copper unless you live by the sea.