| Author |
Message |
    
Pointman
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 11:36 am: | 
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I finally have time to think about the antenna on the house.
Problem though, one is budget, and two is location due to strict covenants.
I would like to know if I can mount a small antenna via a clamp that you would use on the mirror mount of a truck onto my TV antenna on the roof of my house. If I keep small and simple I think it will work, heck I might even be able to pull of a 102" whip (would I need the spring for tuning purposes?) Or a small fiberglass antenna will be fine also, I would rather keep it small and simple. I would then run the coax along the TV antenna line right into the house.
I was told this would work but I want to know what you all think. |
Dx431
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 12:55 pm: |
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The 102" whip will work. Be sure you grond it well. |
Pointman
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 1:21 pm: |
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Cool,
The TV antenna's ground is not good enough of a ground then I take it.
Do I need the spring also? I know I have read someplace about the spring making it tune better?
Thanks |
Bruce
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 4:23 pm: |
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midland makes a 3 foot tall antenna that is black in color you might look into one i had one it does work not as well as a full size antenna. The 102 in wip is your best bet you might get some wire the color of the house and make a few radles it would help |
Pointman
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 4:56 pm: |
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I can run the coax off the back of the house so that is not a problem, I can ground the tower better by attaching a grounding line to it and that will in effect provide a better ground for the antenna correct?
Getting a good ground is going to be tough, dig six inchs downs and you are into rocks, what a back breaker it is, I installed a swing set for my kids this summer and had to get the slide pole 24 inches down, took me 3 hours and a large piece of my sanity but I got the darn pole in there. I was a reading here about a metal plate that can be attached to, that would work better. You need a back-hoe to get anywhere deep here. I am going to have to be creative no doubt. |
Kattracker
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 6:47 pm: |
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Pointman,
A mobile antenna will not work in this case unless it is a NGP (No ground Plane) antenna. FireStik and Wilson make a NGP mobile antenna, However don't expect much talking distance with such antenna.
The reason a Whip or any other standard mobile antenna will not work in your case is because you would have no ground plane. For example, when you mount a whip on an automobile, the whole vehicle becomes part of the antenna, often referred to as a counterpoise or ground plane. Without a counterpoise your SWR would be extremely high and radiation pattern of the antenna would be inefficient.
If you are fixed on using a whip on the roof then here is how you can do it. Buy a junk vehicle from a salvage yard. Hire a crane contractor at $200.00 an hour to come and mount the vehicle on your roof with the antenna on the vehicle. Then you can use your whip.
Just kidding of course, but you get the idea. And no,...the TV antenna will not be sufficient ground for using your whip.
If you have a tall attic you may be able to get a 1/4 wave base antenna and hang it in the attic and be no issue on covenants. Swr could still be a problem but certainly not as much as your whip idea.
A few manufacturers make indoor antennas for CB's. Just surf the web and you will find them.
However remember this, the performance of the indoor antenna, the antenna in the attic or the whip on the roof grounded to your TV antenna would all have less than desirable performance.
Good Luck,
Kattracker |
Pointman
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 8:05 am: |
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Thank you Kattracker,
I am back to my original and more difficult idea of putting it up one of the many trees in the lot next to my home. This will work I will just have to plan it better, find the right tree, preferably one I can climb and get way up there that is out of sight etc. This will work but just will be more difficult (and expensive) for me to co-ordinate. I will of course look for a really tall tree lol...
I could always run temporary coax out to my drive and hook up my Wilson 1000 on my Buick in the meantime, then all I need right now is a power source and I can get started right away. Hmmm.
Thanks to all who responded. |
Ozzie
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 8:35 am: |
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If you have a deck or porch try running a halfwave dipole around the edges or even a fullwave loop. Used both to sneak an extra antenna in when younger and living with parents (one mast, limited to 3 antenna one of which HAD to be there tv antenna. Ended up with 2 x 2m, 1 x 6m, 1 multiband HF and 1 x 11m antennas). Took dad years (about 6 after I ha dleft home) to find out why I always volunteered to paint the deck. |
Mdiver
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 10:08 am: |
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If I go higher with my base antenna will I reduce my bleed over (tv-hand held phones) with my neighbors.my swr's are below 1.5 at 100 watts..Right now Im on the roof 30ft. I can go to a tree and that would put me 75ft.
Mdiver 252 Northern Cal. |
Pointman
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 11:12 am: |
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Ozzie, I have a deck that runs along the entire back of my home at the second story, I could easily use the entire thing as antenna, that would be easy to do and very stealthy. Would it work? I would not have to worry about falling out of a tree lol... This is definately a possiblity.
Mdiver, while not an expert on this topic my understanding is that yes the higher the antenna the less the chance of bleed over. Also better grounding and or a TVI filter will help also per my research, no personal experience here yet. |
Dan
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 12:35 pm: |
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Pointman,
You can build or buy a wire antenna (dipole, Windom, etc) which are hard to see. Then you could use the old trick of fishing line and a small round fishing lead weight. Either throw or use a slingshot to reach the desired branch. Remove weight and attach support line, pull back over, attach antenna and raise again. I use a rubber bungee at the tie-off point for flexibility during wind. You don't spill any beer or blood with this method.
Dan |
Bigbob
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 1:26 pm: |
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One fellow used wooden dowels,he made a mount for his antenna at the top of mast with one,and split the mast 9 feet down and put the other dowel there,thus he had a di-pole,he used a match box to tune out reactance on his favorite channel,then water proofed the box and cemented it to his roof with silicone.Bigbob |
Ozzie
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 4:19 pm: |
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Pointman ,
I used a wire around the deck for 5 years (parents restricted antennas) and not only did it work I never got found out until Dad rebuilt the deck 6 years after I moved out. OOps forgot to remove it. I used it for 11 and 10m and worked over 100 countries during that time.
Cut it to a half wave an run it out- never hurts to try it. |
Pointman
| | Posted on Monday, January 12, 2004 - 11:11 am: |
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Ok forgive the stupid question but how do I know how long to run it and what kind of wire to use and how to hook it up to a coax connector and then hook up the ground? Is there a website that gives these answers. I don't mind doing the research and considering it as it is a possibility and I don't want you all to have to spoon feed me as I know you all have lives like I do.
I think I found my tree also. Good high branchs after I get the extension ladder to get up there as there are no larger lower branches due to it's age. I haven't been able to walk the lot yet due to the snow and my already healing broken ankle but this one tree also has great potential as it is the farthest away from my neighbors (as I will be running some power eventually and will try to ground the heck out of whatever I do and put a TVI filter in and I am not about bothering anyone as I am blessed with nice neighbors and don't want to bother anyone)
Oh forget to mention the deck runs the entire length of the house, I can really run quite a bit of wire if I want to.
Dan I am still looking up Windom antennas and trying to learn more about them. I like my beer and keeping my blood and being one of the local ER nurses at one of local hospitals I would never be able to live it down if I end up in the back of a medi-flight helicopter (as I know many of the crew lol...) all kidding aside I understand the dangers of going up into that tree so I am not ruling out any options.
Thanks |
Wendy Stevens
| | Posted on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 9:40 pm: |
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The same guys that make the sigma antenna make a
flag pole anntenna. Just hang the good old American flag on it and your neighbors have no idea that it is a radio antenna. |
ryan
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 2:57 am: |
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if you want to use a 102" whip, buy 4 more to make a 1/4 wave groundplane, or you can rock a 1/2 wave dipole. |
sinner
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 3:35 pm: |
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Hello
New to this forum,Since we are talking Maco Antennas,Does any body have any experience with the Maco V quad.I am very interested.
I do not want to offend my neighbors so I am wanting to stay small.
Thankyou
-Sinner |
Highlander
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 7:35 pm: |
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I know someone who has a pair of v-quads stacked, they do very well. A single V-quad should be close to a 3 element Yagi (like the maco m103) in terms of gain. |
Bruce
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 4:43 am: |
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correct
A friend of mine in brisbain austraila just built one and his V antenna works very well |
Sinner
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 7:07 am: |
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Sorry I guess we were talking Dipoles,wrong thread.Thanks for the feed back though.
I enjoy this forum,quite informative compared to some of the others, Thank you.
I will contine reading.I just bought two President Washingtons,one is "pre Uniden".I am getting back into radios after 15 yrs. |
kingpin
| | Posted on Thursday, February 05, 2004 - 5:40 pm: |
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this is the most informative site i have found. |
Tech808
| | Posted on Friday, February 06, 2004 - 10:59 am: |
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kingpin,
Thanks, We try to help When & Where we can.
Also the Copper Forum Member's are also what makes this Forum Great with all of the help & advice & experience they offer.
Lon
Tech808 |
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