Homemade

[Gunner357]

I had to do it I made 2 HM antennas 1 was using the twin fire sticks the other was with 12 gauge wire and PVC pipe
well the 12 gauge wire won I am now getting 1:2 and the twin fire stick wouldn't drop below 2:0 Im going to raise it 10 more feet and call it good until I get my beams and 16 pill box so I can smoke JJD radio someday

[jessejamesdallas]

[Gunner357]

Dont let Jerry speak for ya now.......

[Gunner357]

ya know guys I had a total brain **Censored** when setting up the antenna ..... when I was setting the SWR I was only cutting the stinger side not the GP side also..... now I'm screwed I cant get to the GP side now, the PVC is cemented together REAL BRILLIANT YA BONEHEAD

[MDYoungblood]

ya know guys I had a total brain **Censored** when setting up the antenna ..... when I was setting the SWR I was only cutting the stinger side not the GP side also..... now I'm screwed I cant get to the GP side now, the PVC is cemented together REAL BRILLIANT YA BONEHEAD

If you cut it too short, can always use couplings to lengthen it again. A suggestion, use screws to secure the PVC connections, glue them after you get it right, been there , done that, (second time today using that term).

3's

Greg

[Gunner357]

well I only glued the lower GP side go figure.... all else isnt glued

[MDYoungblood]

I have used a 5/8" paddle bit in a drill to ream out a broken 1/2" PVC pipe, don't know what size PVC your using.

3's

Greg

[Gunner357]

I have used a 5/8" paddle bit in a drill to ream out a broken 1/2" PVC pipe, don't know what size PVC your using.

3's

Greg

its 1 1/2 at the GP 3/4 at the stinger end I was just headed out to open it up i just don't wanna weaken it ...... I learn by my mistakes then I need to raise it another 10 ft.... what I dont get is when I was tuning it earlier I cut the stinger put the antenna back in place not securing it and went inside checked thee SWR and it read ch 40 1:4 ch 1 1:1 channel 20 1:1 I go kool went out secured it and it went back to 1:6 ...

[MDYoungblood]

Yes, know what you mean. Get the SWR good with the meter you are using then after you get the analyzer check it again. Could be some CMC playing with the readings, won't happen with the analyzer. You will be surprised the readings aren't even close.

3's

Greg

[Gunner357]

Yes, know what you mean. Get the SWR good with the meter you are using then after you get the analyzer check it again. Could be some CMC playing with the readings, won't happen with the analyzer. You will be surprised the readings aren't even close.

3's

Greg

Yeah I hear ya thats what Im worried about too

[Gunner357]

well it was my stupidity on not cutting the GP side it took 2 hours but (ch 1) 1:1 (ch40) 1:3 and turning the radios watts up it only went up 1 value so i think I'm golden for now.... I open the GP side by drilling a hole about 12 inches above the end of the wire, pulled that out so i could trim I shrink wrapped the wire and fill hole with ribbon weld out of that 12" of GP wire I pulled I had to cut around 3 inches off of GP wire I tie wrapped to the outside of PVC in case there's adjustments needed in the future and I cut 1 inch off stinger side wire to get to that SWR value

[Gunner357]

So in your guys opinion will this homemade work as good as a store bought? No JJD i cant afford beams ATM.....
this is what I made and remember Im getting a good match so far I just need to raise it 10 feet which would put it almost 40 ft above ground here is what style I built with a few of my own MODS.
https://www.instructables.com ... n-antenna/

[Gunner357]

UPDATE: NOT HAPPY After putting that antenna up higher the SWR went up higher too 1:7 from 1:2 Just from changing the coax to RG213?? and raising it Hmmm cant post the picture of it either

[Gunner357]

20200730_200843a.jpg

here it is

[Scrambler82]

Where's the ground plane ?

[Gunner357]

Where's the ground plane ?

inside the lower half of antenna

[MDYoungblood]

Not sure how hard it is to take down but you might try making a choke right under the feedpoint of the antenna, 5 wraps of coax with about a 4" inside diameter, some call it a dirty balun.

3's

Greg

[Gunner357]

Ive seen that before but why would the SWR change so dramaticaly by raising and puting better coax on?

[MDYoungblood]

Because the antenna is depending on the coax as it's counterpoise, you added more length so naturally the adjustment changed.

3's

Greg

[Gunner357]

Because the antenna is depending on the coax as it's counterpoise, you added more length so naturally the adjustment changed.

3's

Greg

well ill try the Ugly balun headed to HD to get some 4" PVC that will give me 4.25 id and with 5 turns it will be in the 26-30 mhz range just hope the rain holds out i don't like playing on the roof when its raining....

[Secret Squirrel]

Gunner 357 before you try the ugly balun, try moving the ground radial out at 45 degrees away from the house. It will make the antenna a little directional toward the lower leg, and lower the capacitance of the dipole if I remember correctly. The SWR may come down and the radiation will move toward the direction of the lower leg. Try before you spend money on new coax. Make sure you coax is 18 foot increments for a dipole. In theory, in the ideal world coax length should not matter am suspecting that you are getting reflection from the house and that may be messing up the antenna radiating. Just a guesstimate that when you add the ugly balun your SWR will look great, but when you look at your radios output its now cut in half, because a RF choke was just placed on an antenna that is not radiating correctly and the reflection from the house is unpredictable. Just ideas to try before you spend money. Good Luck, reflection from an object in that antennas field is a pain you know where.

[Gunner357]

Gunner 357 before you try the ugly balun, try moving the ground radial out at 45 degrees away from the house. It will make the antenna a little directional toward the lower leg, and lower the capacitance of the dipole if I remember correctly. The SWR may come down and the radiation will move toward the direction of the lower leg. Try before you spend money on new coax. Make sure you coax is 18 foot increments for a dipole. In theory, in the ideal world coax length should not matter am suspecting that you are getting reflection from the house and that may be messing up the antenna radiating. Just a guesstimate that when you add the ugly balun your SWR will look great, but when you look at your radios output its now cut in half, because a RF choke was just placed on an antenna that is not radiating correctly and the reflection from the house is unpredictable. Just ideas to try before you spend money. Good Luck, reflection from an object in that antennas field is a pain you know where.

The Ground plain is inside the lower pvc i left a hole so i can get to it to trim

[Secret Squirrel]

Good Deal, I just spent three weeks of free time, which is not big deal trying to get that configuration of work right. Every time I thought I got it right, it then screwed up. Just gave up today and moving it to my shed like my other vertical. It receives well on side of my trailer, but can not get SWR down. The same configuration 20 feet from the trailer is below 1.5 all 40. Just concluded too much reflect. the vertical dipole I am using that works well is 102 inch whips and springs. Good Luck

[Gunner357]

Good Deal, I just spent three weeks of free time, which is not big deal trying to get that configuration of work right. Every time I thought I got it right, it then screwed up. Just gave up today and moving it to my shed like my other vertical. It receives well on side of my trailer, but can not get SWR down. The same configuration 20 feet from the trailer is below 1.5 all 40. Just concluded too much reflect. the vertical dipole I am using that works well is 102 inch whips and springs. Good Luck

Yeah that's what i don't get when I was first matching it it was in a worse position it is in now...... I'm at 40 feet to the tip of stinger previously maybe 25ft plus it was 50 percent shield by the house....

[Gunner357]

well got my AA-230 Zoom and this one works Hooked it up and ch1 4.2 ch 40 5.1 SWR WTF now which way should I go any suggestion per my picture I posted or should I just buy a Store bought antenna and NO JESSE Im not buying BEAMS YET LOL