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Message |
    
Dxmodulator
Junior Member
Username: Dxmodulator
Post Number: 41
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 8:49 am: | 
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I want to use an antron-99 as a base set up that I can hook up to my mobile radio when I am out at the ranch or camping. Here is what i have in mind. A bracket hooked up to my bumper that will secure a 20 foot pipe that I will attach the antron -99 to. A ground rod attached to the pipe. Coax running into my pickup to the radio. Has any body tried this? Any SWR issues I should address? I am trying to come up with a set up that will go up and come down with ease. Should the antron-99 have the ground plane attached or not? Thank you for any help with this idea. |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 1706
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 1:23 pm: |
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I know its been done before. No reason why it would not work. Does the Antron have tuning rings? If the swr happened to be too high I'm not sure how you would go about tuning it. The tuning rings may not work very good.
To be honest with you. There really is not much of an advantage using an Antron base antenna on a mobile versus a mobile antenna such as a 102 inch whip or even a Predator 10K. The height may help a bit but you could mount a mobile antenna on a pole even higher. Just my 2 cents worth of opinion. |
Moderator476
Moderator
Username: Moderator476
Post Number: 85
Registered: 7-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 1:30 pm: |
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From the sound of what your doing is a temp mobile set-up right?
Then here is the fastest way and without drilling anything to your truck
try the FLAG POLE WHEEL STAND
Just do a Google search for FLAG POLE WHEEL STAND
 
Hope this Helps?
George
Moderator476
CEF476(Starface) |
Kid_vicious
Senior Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 2021
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 5:36 pm: |
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hi all,
i have done this before!
and i have done it two ways.
first let me say, YES! it will work! it will work well!
i didnt use the GPK, but i cant imagine that it would cause a problem, but i dont know how effective it is at such a low height above ground.
ok, first method i used was george's method.
i made my own "flagpole wheel stand" out of some 1/4" plate, and 18" of steel tubing, with two set screws in the tubing.
then i had another homemade bracket that slid down inside the rear stake hole in the bed of my F250.
it was a 10" piece of square tubing with a piece of 1/4" flat strap welded to the top, and a piece welded onto the front of the flatstrap to accomodate a u-bolt.
can ya picture it?
i used two 10 foot masts, with one cut down to about 7 feet so that i could attatch it to the truck, then attatch the 10 footer to the antenna, and stand in the bed of the pickup and stab the 10 footer onto the 7 footer.
i wouldnt worry about the ground rod unless you are in, or expecting stormy weather.
ok, second method, and the one i preferred was to use the truckbed tool box by mounting two eave mounts to it and drilling a hole in the bed just big enough to hold the small end of a 10 foot mast. (my truck is a 1977, and i didnt care about drilling the hole. you probably dont need it)
after that, it was very portable, and i could set it up in under 10 minutes, which was good because i was TXing from some pre-construction property that i probably shouldnt have been on.
also, i have also tried the 102" whip up on a mast above the vehicle. it does not work, unless you have a groundplane consisting of four 102" radials at 45* angle to the ground.
the antron is your friend here.
and just one more tidbit to tickle your brain.
one thing i have not tried yet, but really want to, is to throw a rope over a tall tree branch, tie the end to the tip of the antron, and hoist that puppy way up in the air.
yeah, i know it would have to be a REALLY tall tree, but the idea is neat!
good luck, i think you will really enjoy the setup.
matt |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1870
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 9:36 pm: |
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Use the A-99 with or without the GPK for
your Temp mobile set-up. Mobile antennas
don't work that great unless they have
a good groundplane, such as the vehicles
metal ect.
When i talk from on top of the mountain i
get better results with using a A-99, Big
Stik than i do from my car mobile antenna.
You could do a test to see what performs
better for you, if you want to play around.
Good Luck! |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 3173
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, September 01, 2006 - 12:09 pm: |
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if you have a trailer hitch, get a spare, & bend a piece of steel plate into an 'L', drill a hole through it, & use the 'ball' to hold it in place. drill holes through the side, use muffler clamps to hold a piece of 1-2' PVC to it, then, stick 10-15' of pole into it. attach your 18' 3 piece big stick or A99(or 22' 3 piece imax, if you have a van or wagon) to the top pole, run a pice of 213 or 9913 through a window & presto....instant base station.....if you look in the ham mags, there is a 'guy' who makes mobile mounts for multiple radios, & standoffs for towers, etc who makes a setup as i describe, for about $120. www.w9iix.com |
Wildrat
Senior Member
Username: Wildrat
Post Number: 1016
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 3:13 pm: |
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That's what I am thinking Pat is the trailer hitch method. I think if you use this method you will need to ground the part that slides. What the hay though, I have those two skip shooters on the Jeep now so it's playing around if I were to do it.
WR |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 3203
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 5:31 pm: |
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you won't NEED to ground it....it'll be just like putting an A99 on your roof without a ground, except closer to the earth! if you're parked on a beach/back in the boonies somewhere, no need to worry about TVI-just watch the stormclouds in your neck of the woods, 'rat! |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1909
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 5:57 pm: |
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Wonder how a lowes 30ft push up pole
would do connected to a vehicle?...LOL
I usually just take 20-30 of mast and
lean it in a tree when on the mountain.
Guess to find the best way is to just
have fun and experiment. |
Dxmodulator
Member
Username: Dxmodulator
Post Number: 54
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 9:00 am: |
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Patzerozero
"use muffler clamps to hold a piece of 1-2' PVC to it"
Why a piece of PVC between the hitch and the mast? Is this to isolate the antenna from the vehical electricaly. |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 3212
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 4:13 pm: |
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here are 2 different ones commercially available, made out of steel. what i suggested i suppose could use steel as well, but, my way was done using the ball mount/draw bar in case a camper, boat, etc needed to be towed. it would work better if you had at least a 6" drop, so you'd have room for the clamps. it'd be offset to the side, wouldn't require a bottom, because you'd let the mast fall all the way through to the ground to help with stability. with a wagon or SUV, you could use a 4-5' piece of pipe & a removable bracket mounted to a roof rack for added stability in high wind situations. |
Dxmodulator
Member
Username: Dxmodulator
Post Number: 55
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 - 9:39 am: |
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Patzerozero
I see what you mean by the pictures. I am a welder fabricator and I know i can make the hitch mount just jike the pictures. Thank you for the help. I am tryuing to save up for another A-99 so I don't have to take down my base set up.
Another question I want to run a palomar 300a on this mobile set up. All I need is a generator to plug in the 300a right? What kind of grounding do I need to address with this set up using the 300a? Just hook up the ground from the 300a to the ground of the body or the antenna with which I will drive a ground rod under the antenna. |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 3215
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, September 22, 2006 - 7:05 pm: |
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i assume the palomar is an AC model....just follow the directions for the generator, making sure it provides enough power to run the amp at full output, & what they require for electrical grounding. RF grounding would be done through a polyphaser or some other type to a ground rod just as a base station.
remember the gain difference of an A99 vs a 1/4 wave 102" whip, even a bigger difference with a loaded antenna. whereas it may take 1200 watts through a mobile antenna to equal 300 watts ERP from a good base antenna, you may wanna explore a small mobile amp. you can lose the generator, & compete with base stations...from your BIG mobile  |
Goat373
Intermediate Member
Username: Goat373
Post Number: 295
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Friday, September 22, 2006 - 8:48 pm: |
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just thought about posting here...refer to my pics thread...mine is/was used for a 2-meter beam, but could just as easily have been used for a99 setup. I've gone up as high as 40 feet (with guy wires) with my 3 element 2-meter beam...workas like a champ, just dont forget its up there and drive off...lol. |
