DECEMBER 20, 2018

55 Degrees in December? Time for Antenna Work!

Super warm today. Did a lot of work out on the deck preparing the second vertical for installation out in the saltwater march using four (4) ground rods stuck in the mud, rather than a radial system. Let me take you through the progress made today, as photographed below. And, yes, it was fun! 

Good Connections Reduce Loss

I got a bunch of new coaxial connectors and installed them on the ends of the RG-8X feedlines we were using with the phased verticals at the previous QTH. That was a good thing to do because you can experience significant losses through bad connectors. And it was about time to replace the ones we had been using: God knows how far they were degraded by all the RF we had been pumping through them. 




We also finally installed the RG-8X adaptors, which makes the connection more robust and weatherproof. A lot neater way to make the connection. And one which lessens the likelihood of melting the insulating material in the PL-259, which I often do by applying the soldering iron to it too long.

Extra Coax

Below is the center guy ring for the second vertical made from a PVC tube with cable ties epoxyed to it.

PVC Guy Insulators

Joining Vertical Sections

We're going to need that, and probably a second, higher one, on the vertical in the marsh. The winds off the ocean are not abated by any structures or local topography. Depicted to the right is way of securing the junctions in aluminum verticals when you don't have the right series of tapering tube. In this case I have a smaller diameter tube inserted between two larger ones, which butt together under the hose clamp. Set screws prevent vertical sliding after final install and support electrical conductivity. This is the almost-completed reassembly of the second vertical.n this case I have a smaller diameter tube inserted between two larger ones, which butt together under the hose clamp. Set screws prevent vertical sliding after final install and support electrical conductivity. 

Second Vertical

This is the almost-completed reassembly of the second vertical. The base insulators are PVC tubes fastened to the base pipe with electrical conduit hangers. You can easily detach the verticals after install. It is a strong and cheap way of securing vertical radiators. 

Copper Pipes

Here's the ground rods being prepared.  I use Liquid Electrical Tape to protect the connection from the weather to keep Ohmic losses down. I'd solder the sumbitches but I don't have a propane torch right now. 

Here's the fitting of the current bead balun to the base support pipe. The balun is one sold by The Wireman ($14) consisting of 50 ferrite beads strung along a piece of RG-173 super thin, albeit high-power, coax.

Detail of Current Balun "Capsule" Mounting

An electrical conduit bracket fastens the PVC tube to the base pipe.

The PVC tube contains a Wireman current (bead) choke ($14)