Hello everyone. Im thinking of purchasing the s9v 31 ft antenna. Had a few questions. What size wire should i use for the radials? and when you guys strech them out about your yard, when you go to mow, do you leave them down and hope you dont mow them or do you roll them up, then unroll again? thanks to anyone that can help
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s9v 31 antenna questions
- Thread starter bluestallion
- Start date
#6 Solid Copper, minimum.
Just kidding! Probably what ever you can afford. The cheapest route would probably be galvanized steel electric fence wire. You can buy rolls of this relatively cheap at Tractor Supply, or any farm supply store.
DX Engineering has radial kits and biodegradable staples. You use them to keep the radials down, until the grass grows up over them, and you can mow without fear of tearing the radials up.
Just kidding! Probably what ever you can afford. The cheapest route would probably be galvanized steel electric fence wire. You can buy rolls of this relatively cheap at Tractor Supply, or any farm supply store.
DX Engineering has radial kits and biodegradable staples. You use them to keep the radials down, until the grass grows up over them, and you can mow without fear of tearing the radials up.
so should i wait till next year to do this? the grass is still green and growing here but dont know if id cover them up
I had a S9 18' when I was in a duplex, small yard. Used insulated wire, green, probably 18 guage if I remember right. Used the S9 radial plate when it was still run by the original guy. I used the cheap weed fabric staples you can get at Home Dept or Lowes to hold the wire down, every 4' or so. Let them rust and they still hold, never an issue mowing. Do it any time of the year, just lay them down and push in the staples.
alright. Just cant decide if wanna buy the s9v 31 of try to find a fiberglass pole and put my own wire in it or try to make one out of some pvc. oh the decessions
If you think you could make your own antenna, then why not? Being a cheap, I'd much rather make something than buy it if I can.
Having said that, a vertical antenna just isn't ever going to be my first choice. I live in a very noisy place (man made noise), hate messing with radials, and have found that the horizontal antennas are just as 'good' as a vertical in most cases. I don't have to worry about restrictions and as long as an antenna works well I'm not too concerned on what it may look like.
But, if I wanted a vertical antenna for more than one or two bands then I'd certainly give it a shot. Most commercial antenna manufacturers think more of their products than I do (cheap, remember?), and if they can make one I figure I can at least get 'close'.
Have fun.
- 'Doc
Having said that, a vertical antenna just isn't ever going to be my first choice. I live in a very noisy place (man made noise), hate messing with radials, and have found that the horizontal antennas are just as 'good' as a vertical in most cases. I don't have to worry about restrictions and as long as an antenna works well I'm not too concerned on what it may look like.
But, if I wanted a vertical antenna for more than one or two bands then I'd certainly give it a shot. Most commercial antenna manufacturers think more of their products than I do (cheap, remember?), and if they can make one I figure I can at least get 'close'.
Have fun.
- 'Doc
i would like to build one. but idk if pvc would stay up without guying. I have a g5rv antenna now, but the bottom is only about 1ft off the ground, just doesnt seem to do all that good, maybe just conditions here. just thought of trying something different.
So don't use PVC. How about three sticks of fence top-rail? If it's 'planted' well, it should stand up reasonably well too. ('Planted' as in attached to a solid post?)
And as for a G5RW working is any part of it is near the ground, it just won't work very well at all. That ladder-line section needs to be hanging straight down and then as far above ground as possible. It's part of the impedance matching circuit and if 'stuff' is near it, it just isn't going to do it's job. That typically means the center needs to be 40 feet +, give or take a few. [Went through the same thing with a G5RV this last field day. That feed line section had to be bent around several thingys to get it up at all and it just didn't do worth a hoot. Took it down, put up a simple 40 meter dipole in the same place (maybe 15 - 20 feet high through trees) and you wouldn't believe the difference. Oh well...]
- 'Doc
And as for a G5RW working is any part of it is near the ground, it just won't work very well at all. That ladder-line section needs to be hanging straight down and then as far above ground as possible. It's part of the impedance matching circuit and if 'stuff' is near it, it just isn't going to do it's job. That typically means the center needs to be 40 feet +, give or take a few. [Went through the same thing with a G5RV this last field day. That feed line section had to be bent around several thingys to get it up at all and it just didn't do worth a hoot. Took it down, put up a simple 40 meter dipole in the same place (maybe 15 - 20 feet high through trees) and you wouldn't believe the difference. Oh well...]
- 'Doc
well id say thats what my problem is. its stood off my tower around 2ft to the side and the bottom is only about 1ft off the ground. I can hear stations pretty good with it. but never seem to hear me. Maybe will be buying a vertical and put up since is easier than puting up a dipole.
One added note, on my 18', I also ran an ICOM AH-4 tuner at the base, seemed to tune well through 40m. Now I have moved to a more rural location and have a 135' dipole fed by 800 ohm ladder line, again with the AH-4 at the base. Seems to work great. Center at 25', ends at 20'.
Are you planning to use a remote tuner with the 31 foot vertical?
If not on most bands a lot of your output power will just be heating up your coaxial.
With what remote tuners cost I put in a Hustler vertical and have been happy with it as a second antenna option. (The other being an 80 meter loop).
I second Wally777 with his recommendation for the radials. I bought a 500 foot roll of 18 gauge from home depot and used it along with the fabric staples. I put my radials in after a good rain storm and I just stretched the radials out from the baseplate and put a staple in on the end. Then I walked along with a large flat blade screwdriver and poked the radial wire under the surface and put in staple every couple of feet. A few weeks later you couldn't really tell where the radials were at.
If not on most bands a lot of your output power will just be heating up your coaxial.
With what remote tuners cost I put in a Hustler vertical and have been happy with it as a second antenna option. (The other being an 80 meter loop).
I second Wally777 with his recommendation for the radials. I bought a 500 foot roll of 18 gauge from home depot and used it along with the fabric staples. I put my radials in after a good rain storm and I just stretched the radials out from the baseplate and put a staple in on the end. Then I walked along with a large flat blade screwdriver and poked the radial wire under the surface and put in staple every couple of feet. A few weeks later you couldn't really tell where the radials were at.
instead of geting the clamps for the s9v, could i use hose clamps or would that mess with radation pattern since they are metal? thanks
I've used the S9 clamps. I also lost several when I forgot to take them off before collapsing my S9V18. They popped off "somewhere."
Pattern distortion will be minimal. Be careful not to over-tighten the hose clamp, or you can CRUSH the fiberglass. (maybe wrap the antenna with a thin piece of rubber -- like from an inner tube [if you can find one mowadays!
]) Finally, use Stainless Steel clamps unless you are doing a quick-and-dirty installation.73
Bill
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