ok so here is the set up, i have a sdr, 75 feet of rg8x cable ran outside onto a pole 40 feet up connected to a Tram mag mounted antenna (yes yes i know mag mounts are bad, but it was in my budget). Just before this it was on top of my tin roof of my house and got amazing signal, now nothing since i moved it to the top of the pole.. what am i doing wrong?
Antenna help!
- Thread starter squall8ball
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Reconrider
Inside the Galaxy
Sounds like you have no ground plane. The roof is a HUGE metal surface to bounce signals across the antenna and now that you have it on a skinny pole, you will get way less than using the house roof.
If you are going to put a mobile antenna on a pole you have to use a ground plane kit.
Until you can afford or get the correct equipment you would be better off putting it back on the metal roof.
Until you can afford or get the correct equipment you would be better off putting it back on the metal roof.
Already have one on the pole from the previous owner of this house who used it for a mature radio as well.
FKimble
Member
Did you use the same 75' piece of RG8x when the antenna was on the metal roof or did you go to the longer coax when you moved antenna to the pole? 75' of RG8x equals about 3.3 db loss.
Frank
Frank
No it was a short run of only 5 feet to the roof, the 75 foot was the upgrade along with the pole
Looks like Spanish Moss growing all over the Antenna if it was on the ground for any time it could be very corroded and that could be part of your problem.
As far as I know it has been up like that for the last few years, and they are fiberglass
WA0CBW
Member
Looks to me that they are the ground "plane" and the main "antenna" is missing.
Bill
Bill
W3DMV
Member
I agree with WA0CBW, don't see any antenna. I've never seen fiberglass ground plane radials? Do they have wire or other conductors (foil) inside
the fiberglass?
the fiberglass?
spacellamaman
Member
My metal carport roof looks like the standard antenna farm. some signals are rx'd better with a mag mount on the roof than they are when i am using a yagi. so i find it works nicely. and easier than setting up a mast
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Adding all that cable increased your feed line loss.
Those drooping radials from the old antenna are not helping you, they are not providing a good ground plane.
Yes I took the antenna back off the top and put it back onto the tin roof until I have a solution due to broadcasting a feed for my area.
Do you have any good recommendations for a good ground plane?
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Depends on what kind of antenna you are using and which frequencies you are interested in.
Is the Tram mag mount an NMO type?
Yes it is
tvengr
Well Known Member
How old is a "mature" radio?
Sorry I ment to put Amateur not mature!
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