    
Jameslarson
Intermediate Member
Username: Jameslarson
Post Number: 286
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - 10:47 pm: | 
|
OK, you're all going to think I am nuts, but hear me out. I want to be able to use an IMAX on my van. Now when I say use, I don't mean to install and drive. I mean that I want to keep it in the back of my van, and when I get to say an open field, I want to be able to easily take it out from the back of the van, put the 3 pieces together, and Mount it to the roof with a a 5 foot mast.
I was thinking that screwing and unscrewing each piece is time consuming, and would eventually wear out the threads. So, I was thinking of putting a quick release (a real heavy duty one) on each section. So all I have to do is simply twist on each piece.
I would have to do this because the back of my van would not be able to hold a 24 foot antenna, but it can hole 3 8 foot sections. I would simply take the 3 pieces out of my van, twist them together, and then have it on a 5 foot mast (Maybe even 10 foot mast) that would go through a hole in the roof. Then on my van floor inside I would have a spare tire on its side. The bottom of the mast would go into the rim so the antenna has a solid foundation and doesn't move from the wind.
I wanted to do this too so the antenna has the entire van roof as a counterpoise. I was also thingking about the GPK, but I think I am really going crazy there.
Anyway, any thoughts on how to improve this idea of mine? Am I crazy for even thinking this? Maybe I can even put a beam up one day.
PS. I know adding the quick release will essentially add length to the antenna. I am hoping to offset that and get my SWR low enough by tuning the antenna. Does the antenna tune that much to offset this extra length added by the quick releases? |
