Hmm well the EMT conduit is about 5 lbs. The rotator is about 5 lbs. The loop weighs about 1-2 lbs. So probably around 15 lbs.
Post Pics&Videos Of Your SWL Antenna!
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Hmm well the EMT conduit is about 5 lbs. The rotator is about 5 lbs. The loop weighs about 1-2 lbs. So probably around 15 lbs.
SpectreOZ
Member
Cool setup OZ
Thanks, making antennas and getting good results is such a buzz isn't it?
I really need some sort of shelving upgrade (running out of space) LOL
Nothing fancy here just a couple Wellbrook ALA1530 loops and PAR EF SWL for HF listening.
Scanner listening done on a Creative Log and a Comet GP9NC commercial antenna (not pictured)
I also have some satcom antennas but only a photo of one. When I clean up the other side of the yard maybe I'll post the others
Scanner listening done on a Creative Log and a Comet GP9NC commercial antenna (not pictured)
I also have some satcom antennas but only a photo of one. When I clean up the other side of the yard maybe I'll post the others
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ridgescan
Member
sometimes I think it's the cause of all the ringing in my ears
but yeah it's a neat thing to get satisfying reception off something you did yourself and refined over timeTurbo68
Member
These are my HF Active Loops..
Left:Wellbrook-ALA1530AL-1,Yaesu G-250 Rotator
Middle:Wellbrook-ALA1530
Right:Wellbrook-ALA1530AL-1
Regards Lino..
Left:Wellbrook-ALA1530AL-1,Yaesu G-250 Rotator
Middle:Wellbrook-ALA1530
Right:Wellbrook-ALA1530AL-1
Regards Lino..
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ridgescan
Member
Nice Lino-you must be awful busy on HF there
Turbo68
Member
Hi Ridge HF is very busy down under,I also have a PK Loops 30 metre dipole which i havent put up yet been busy with work..
Regards Lino..
Regards Lino..
ridgescan
Member
cool
someone's got me rethinking of turning mine into a horizontal delta loop. I tried it once but I may have done the connections wrong so may give it a better shot.
ridgescan
Member
ow ow ow ow ow owww ow!Nothing fancy here just a couple Wellbrook ALA1530 loops and PAR EF SWL for HF listening.
Scanner listening done on a Creative Log and a Comet GP9NC commercial antenna (not pictured)
I also have some satcom antennas but only a photo of one. When I clean up the other side of the yard maybe I'll post the others
oh sorry I'm just kicking myself for totally missing your post B
just saw it now-please forgive my brain and eyes. Looking forward to pics of your system when you get the chance. And how did you ground you PAR there?
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ridgescan
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Nice! Are you gonna raise it higher-looks like you have enough feedline to get it above the houses. How do you like its reception across all the bands?
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I'm not allowed to have anything above the roof. So, it will have to work at this level. So far, it's working pretty well, but I have only just begun listening. I am comparing it to my DX Eng. active whip.
These kind of loops don't require height, so you're fine at a few feet above ground. I would double-check with Pixel but you can probably paint it if you wish -- for that extra concealment.
kf5jmd
Member
Here is my SWL + others setup. In the middle right far back is a G5RV hanging from a tree, can't get the whole antenna in the pic, is 51' on each side, tied off to to other trees, center is about 30 feet up. When Fall gets here and the leaves fall off the trees going to re-string that antenna, higher, straighter, it has sagged alot, used to be really tight. To right is Cushcraft 11 Element yagi for 2 Meters, a homemade 1/4 wave Groundplane for 2 Meters, Left is a Scanner antenna that's not currently being used, under it is a Senao 90 degree Sector antenna for 802.11 wifi, front right on black pole is small Wilson antenna for my 4G LTE Internet Access.
I switch the G5RV between my Yaesu FT-101EE for 160-10 meters RX+TX, and my Receivers for RX only. Have a Sears Comtrek, a Realistic DX-302, and a SoftRock RX Ensemble II SDR Receiver.
Also not pictured are an Imax 2000 for my Cobra 142GTL (to talk CB with the local non-ham'ers) at 36 feet, and a couple homemade antennas for scanners, 70cm radios, Weather Alert radios, TV, etc.
I plan on putting up a PAR EF-SWL antenna dedicated to my Receivers, or build something similar to that antenna. Thought about playing with one of those small loops on a rotator but have no idea where to get one of those tubing/pipe loops or how to build one like that, first I have seen of them is SWL'ers. I mostly Ham, but since I got the SDR I S.W.L. a whole lot more, LOVE that thing!
I switch the G5RV between my Yaesu FT-101EE for 160-10 meters RX+TX, and my Receivers for RX only. Have a Sears Comtrek, a Realistic DX-302, and a SoftRock RX Ensemble II SDR Receiver.
Also not pictured are an Imax 2000 for my Cobra 142GTL (to talk CB with the local non-ham'ers) at 36 feet, and a couple homemade antennas for scanners, 70cm radios, Weather Alert radios, TV, etc.
I plan on putting up a PAR EF-SWL antenna dedicated to my Receivers, or build something similar to that antenna. Thought about playing with one of those small loops on a rotator but have no idea where to get one of those tubing/pipe loops or how to build one like that, first I have seen of them is SWL'ers. I mostly Ham, but since I got the SDR I S.W.L. a whole lot more, LOVE that thing!
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ridgescan
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kf5jmd you have a busy shack there-very cool.
Even though your g5rv is a dipole, did you ground it-if so, how? Thanks for adding yours here
Even though your g5rv is a dipole, did you ground it-if so, how? Thanks for adding yours here
Ridge not every antenna requires a ground. In fact, I think you may be getting the term mixed up with counterpoise. Generally, grounding refers to electrical safety because it's connected to Earth. Counterpoise refers to a "virtual ground" which isn't connected to Earth -- instead we use extra wire or radials to create this low-resistance ground. The lower the frequency the more the ground counterpoise is necessary. This is why you don't see them when using VHF or higher.
I'm sure Token can jump in here to elaborate.
Practical example:
You have a 30ft vertical antenna mounted just above ground. Below that (laying on top of the ground) is a 32-wire radial ground counterpoise. When you Tx, the RF pushes against the counterpoise. Without the counterpoise, there is little or no push. I've never measure or observed this but the same principle is suppose to apply for Rx antennas as well; however, for broadband antennas, the counterpoise is usually left out because of space concerns.
For a random wire, you could have a balun with your primary length (say 100ft of wire) and then the other terminal would have your ground counterpoise. If I can recall, this is what you're doing with your PAR antenna.
I'm sure Token can jump in here to elaborate.
Practical example:
You have a 30ft vertical antenna mounted just above ground. Below that (laying on top of the ground) is a 32-wire radial ground counterpoise. When you Tx, the RF pushes against the counterpoise. Without the counterpoise, there is little or no push. I've never measure or observed this but the same principle is suppose to apply for Rx antennas as well; however, for broadband antennas, the counterpoise is usually left out because of space concerns.
For a random wire, you could have a balun with your primary length (say 100ft of wire) and then the other terminal would have your ground counterpoise. If I can recall, this is what you're doing with your PAR antenna.
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ridgescan
Member
Right on Nick-I appreciate that-like on my system I'm "grounded" to that fire escape which is bolted to the building's steel frame, and it very much quieted RFI. Like ka3jjz once suggested to me, it could be just a huge counterpoise much less a real ground from up here. I just want folks who have had RF quieting via ground or counterpoise to list it here for rf grounding tips for folks doing HF installs..
I understand the g5rv is a dipole, not requiring an RF ground but was wondering if he had a grounding to it anyway.
Nah it's not really a dipole. It's a multiband antenna that resembles a dipole.
Presuming I had a large enough area, I'd rather have a fan dipole (all bands) than a G5RV. To make the G5RV work well it helps to have a quality tuner.
Here's a really in-depth explanation: G5RV Antenna
kf5jmd
Member
Will address a couple things:
1. Earth Ground. It can help with RFI and "buzz". In "good Ham" practices, tying your coax shields and equipment Chassis to the Earth Ground is recommended. It is not required for operation "technically", as it will work without, some of the 90-150 year old (sarcasm) hams will tell you they threw away their ground rods 50 years ago, and did not use/need/want them in their station, some will swear by them. The idea is to quiet RFI, yes, and to give the lightning ( should you be so unlucky ) a easy direct path to ground should it directly strike your antenna or mast/tower etc. You don't want the high current/voltage flowing through your equipment chassis, THEN going to ground, you want it to go as direct into the ground (Earth) as possible. Ideally you would attach your coax shield to a ground rod BEFORE it enters your shack. This is my understanding of the "Earth Ground". I could be somewhat incorrect. I have lost computers, modems, wifi routers, network switches etc to lightning, have not lost any Ham radio/scanner equipment to lightning.
2. G5RV It's a complicated antenna design, not really a dipole, it's a happy medium that works on all HF bands to some degree without being a horrible mismatch, a tuner is required for transmit. There are 2 types of G5RV that I am aware of Junior and Senior. The Jr (what I have) is 102 feet wide, with around 34 or so feet of I think 450 ohm "window" line leading up the antenna "guts". It uses both the feedline (the window line part, not the coax you hook up to run back to your shack part) and the lengths of wire coming out the top (2 x 51 feet) in different ways on different bands. It's required to be a certain height off the ground to work properly (since it uses the window line as part of the radiating system on some bands) and also because it radiates on the window line your Coax should be wrapped around a 6-8 inch diameter container/pipe/plastic round anything, about 5-10 times very tightly to form an RF choke just past the point where the coax connects to the window line/1:1 balun to cancel common mode currents on the coax running back to your shack. Mine is connected with 120 feet of RG 58A/U computer grade coax. The larger version (Senior) is something like 102 feet on each side, and is good for 160-10 meters I think. The Jr like I have is said to be good for 80-10 meters.
3. Grounding Antennas. It would make the most sense to me, on a G5RV antenna or similar to put a ground rod in the ground and tie it to the outside part of the coax right where it goes into the 1:1 Balun at the bottom of the Window Line. This way if lightning struck the antenna, it SHOULD theoretically just go into the ground rod right there at the feed point and NOT make it into the shack. Lightning is powerful, unpredictable stuff, and while you don't want to attract lightning (why some hams say they don't want ground rods) to your station, you certainly don't want to just plain allow it to easily destroy all your equipment either. I try to unplug all antennas before a lightning storm. That's the best safety, just make sure you do it BEFORE the lightning storm L O L not during.
I receive HF quite well with the G5RV and the Softrock or whatever receiver I am using. I get minimal RFI. If I hook the tuner inline with the receiver it helps even more on SOME bands, not all. Some bands you can feed the G5RV with no tuner for transmitting. I want to try a PAR EF-SWL and some other types of SWL/DXer antenna's for my receivers, and I think the G5RV is a DANG GOOD antenna to compare their performance too. I receive a lot. See pic of SDR screeen on an average night on 40 Meters.
1. Earth Ground. It can help with RFI and "buzz". In "good Ham" practices, tying your coax shields and equipment Chassis to the Earth Ground is recommended. It is not required for operation "technically", as it will work without, some of the 90-150 year old (sarcasm) hams will tell you they threw away their ground rods 50 years ago, and did not use/need/want them in their station, some will swear by them. The idea is to quiet RFI, yes, and to give the lightning ( should you be so unlucky ) a easy direct path to ground should it directly strike your antenna or mast/tower etc. You don't want the high current/voltage flowing through your equipment chassis, THEN going to ground, you want it to go as direct into the ground (Earth) as possible. Ideally you would attach your coax shield to a ground rod BEFORE it enters your shack. This is my understanding of the "Earth Ground". I could be somewhat incorrect. I have lost computers, modems, wifi routers, network switches etc to lightning, have not lost any Ham radio/scanner equipment to lightning.
2. G5RV It's a complicated antenna design, not really a dipole, it's a happy medium that works on all HF bands to some degree without being a horrible mismatch, a tuner is required for transmit. There are 2 types of G5RV that I am aware of Junior and Senior. The Jr (what I have) is 102 feet wide, with around 34 or so feet of I think 450 ohm "window" line leading up the antenna "guts". It uses both the feedline (the window line part, not the coax you hook up to run back to your shack part) and the lengths of wire coming out the top (2 x 51 feet) in different ways on different bands. It's required to be a certain height off the ground to work properly (since it uses the window line as part of the radiating system on some bands) and also because it radiates on the window line your Coax should be wrapped around a 6-8 inch diameter container/pipe/plastic round anything, about 5-10 times very tightly to form an RF choke just past the point where the coax connects to the window line/1:1 balun to cancel common mode currents on the coax running back to your shack. Mine is connected with 120 feet of RG 58A/U computer grade coax. The larger version (Senior) is something like 102 feet on each side, and is good for 160-10 meters I think. The Jr like I have is said to be good for 80-10 meters.
3. Grounding Antennas. It would make the most sense to me, on a G5RV antenna or similar to put a ground rod in the ground and tie it to the outside part of the coax right where it goes into the 1:1 Balun at the bottom of the Window Line. This way if lightning struck the antenna, it SHOULD theoretically just go into the ground rod right there at the feed point and NOT make it into the shack. Lightning is powerful, unpredictable stuff, and while you don't want to attract lightning (why some hams say they don't want ground rods) to your station, you certainly don't want to just plain allow it to easily destroy all your equipment either. I try to unplug all antennas before a lightning storm. That's the best safety, just make sure you do it BEFORE the lightning storm L O L not during.
I receive HF quite well with the G5RV and the Softrock or whatever receiver I am using. I get minimal RFI. If I hook the tuner inline with the receiver it helps even more on SOME bands, not all. Some bands you can feed the G5RV with no tuner for transmitting. I want to try a PAR EF-SWL and some other types of SWL/DXer antenna's for my receivers, and I think the G5RV is a DANG GOOD antenna to compare their performance too. I receive a lot. See pic of SDR screeen on an average night on 40 Meters.
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ridgescan
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Thanks Nick for the clarification and link, and thanks kf5jmd for some great info-that's what we need here and it's appreciated.
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