800Mhz Yagi Antenna with coax (question)

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W9NES

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I am posting a question and looking for answers .I am in need a 800Mhz Yagi antenna with low loss coax ready to go out of the box.I understand that I need a yagi or beam antenna to point at a tower site in order to get the new MECA system from 79Th and Michigan Road.I need some recomendations on the antenna along with coax together as a package deal.I am also asking for help on installing this antenna on my roof of my house along with running the coax.Do we have anyone at this point who would like to come over to my home and help me out???.I would also like to keep the cost down as much as possible as I have limited funding available.(My wallet) Any and all help would be appreceted.In order to make sure we do not clog the Indiana fourm with quote "Non techicinal topics and unneeded searching for current topics of intrest relating to the new MECA digital system 1" I am requesting that all assistance on this matter at hand be forwared to me at my Primary e-mail address which is the following W9nes@Comcast.net Any and all help on this project would be appreceited from all of the members on the Indiana Fourm of RadioReference.Com Thank You For Your Time,Respectfully Submitted,Timothy A DeLong Licensed Ham Radio Operator call sign W9NES ,NW Indianapolis(Pike Township) *All e-mails will be answered*
 
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AK9R

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Tim, I think the first trick is finding a location for the antenna and figuring out how you are going to get the coax inside the house. At this point, it's hard to tell whether you need to get the antenna high in the air or just get some directivity. I'd suggest starting with ground-mounted antenna masts before you start crawling around on the roof.

As a temporary set up, I bought a 10 foot long piece of 3/4" EMT (conduit) and a couple of saddle clamps. I attached the clamps to a couple of exposed screws on my air conditioning compressor and attached the conduit to the clamps. Voila! I now had a way to get an antenna roughly 10 feet off the ground. This is definitely a jury-rigged, temporary installation, but it gave me a way to experiment with outside antennas.

Since an 800MHz Yagi is going to be fairly small and lightweight, my approach might give you some ideas. For a more permanent installation, you might look at larger diameter thick-wall conduit. I've used this before for TV antenna installations and it's pretty sturdy in, let's say, the 1-1/2" size. Stop by a home improvement store, like Lowes or Home Depot, and spend some time browsing the electrical section for more ideas.

The antenna is more of challenge. I've been looking at them myself. The Antennex/Laird YS8063 that KC9NEG is using is $77 from Tessco. That's not cheap, but I've not been able to find a commercially-made 3-element Yagi for much less than that.

You don't want to scrimp on the coax. Cable X-perts has pre-made cable assemblies using Andrew CNT-400 which is roughly equivalent to Times LMR-400 or Belden 9913F7. You really don't want to use anything less for 800MHz due to the loss in the coax. A 100-foot assembly using CNT-400 and N connectors is going to run you $96. Again, not cheap.

Good luck with your project!
 

KC9NEG

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My setup is in a basement. The Y8063 is connected to the PSR-600 with a 6' BNC-BNC length of RG-6/U and a BNC-N adapter. I need to get that antenna outside and fine-tune the aiming. It works pretty well thrown together as-is, though.

I got my yagi from Radio Outfitter in KS; paid about the same as the Tessco price quoted above. I got the cable and adapter at Fry's.

Todd/Indy
KC9NEG
 

N9WP

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Hey Tim, this may be overdoing it for your location but I have an 800mhz Wilson Yagi that I use here in Boone county with excellent results. It's only 10 feet above the ground and does a really good job. Sometimes you can catch them on ebay for a reasonable price like this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/3011...008QQitemZ180255653062QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

It normally doesn't come with coax so you will need to get some 9913 or LMR-400. Don't use the cheap 8x or 58 coax, that suff is garbage for 800mhz. Just like W9RXR said, you don't want to skimp on the coax.

When I got mine about 2 years ago, I played with it inside the house, it blew away the signal from the Radio Shack 800mhz duckie. I only decided to mount it at the 10 foot level outside on the same mast as my 2meter antenna because that's all the height I needed and I could reach it if I wanted to aim it, glad I did since I've re-aimed it for the new MECA system.

Then again, I picked up a smaller 800mhz yagi at the Fort Wayne hamfest a couple years ago for only 20 bucks, it's in my attic. I believe the Indy hamfest is coming up, you could get lucky and find something there like this.

Just letting you know whats worked for me, still not happy with having to use the yagi for the new MECA system but at least I can hear it now.

If you need help with installing, give me a shout and I can see what I can do, I don't think your really that far from me, probably a 15-20 minute drive. Just remember, I'm not a professional installer!!! HAHA.
 

LawnCowboy

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ok, I have the wilson yagi... now what? lol

I have an N connector on the end.... I'm figuring on using some RG-6... gonna need some adapters it looks like... any suggestions? I'm figuring Rat Shack WON'T have the answers! :) Wondering if I'll have any luck if I just use a short piece of cable and allow me to use my Pro-96 at different points in my home (keep it mobile), instead of having to keep it in a dedicated location... guess I'll have to play around but wondered if anyone had tried this.... trying to pick up simulcast 800MHz CQPSK Hamilton County, Ohio system... also wondering if I'm aiming this yagi at one of the towers if I'm going to have problems scanning OTHER stuff? UHF, Ohio 800 MHz MARCS, VHF???
 

W9NES

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Beause it was posted in the Indianapolis/Indiana operational area and not nationwide.I am intestred in what others have to say in my local area only.
 

jerk

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Beause it was posted in the Indianapolis/Indiana operational area and not nationwide.I am intestred in what others have to say in my local area only.

But lawncowboy is having the same type of issues as you are, and on the same type of system.

And I'm sure there are other systems that through trial and error with antennas have had their reception issues solved. The trick is to keep an open mind.
 

andrewccm

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Beause it was posted in the Indianapolis/Indiana operational area and not nationwide.I am intestred in what others have to say in my local area only.

Well ok then. Asking about a Yagi and cable doesn't seem to be completely a regional thing, but if you don't want to hear other opinions...that's cool.

Good luck!
 

LawnCowboy

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wow... someone woke up on wrong side of bed.... It seemed the right place to ask a question that seemed similar to original. Was the most recently viewed topic on the wilson 800 MHz Yagi and figured those with infinite knowledge would be more likely reading it. Definitely don't think I hijacked anything but sorry if it seems so. There seems many from Indiana that are familiar with Ohio issues too.... we aren't that far away.... yeah, we are useless nuts (Buckeyes), but y'all "Wander" "Hoosier" ma and pa! hehe ok, uncalled for... but geesh, lets lighten up :) OH, and not lawn boy... lawn cowboy! :p

So now that we are done with that... anyone with some answers :)
 

N9WP

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The Wilson yagi does have a N connector and you will have to get adaptors for it. I'm pretty sure I picked up my N to a PL-259 adaptor from a hamfest but you could probably google N to PL-259. There may not be a N to the kind of connector on rg-6 cable. you may have to use a couple different adaptors to make that work for you. The more connectors, the higher the loss too so keep that in mind. If you are wanting only a short run of coax, just get a few feet of the LMR-400 and I believe you can put an N connector on the end of that. That's my next project to get rid of the adaptor and get an N connector for the coax whenever I get to the next hamfest...Probably next year!!!

I did play with my yagi inside with a small piece of coax before I mounted it outside. It does good even inside but it's a little long and difficult to prop up and stay facing the direction I wanted it too.
 

Viper43

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Radio Shack has the N connector adapter too, I forget the PN# but I use one for the coax to the multicoupler.

V
 

kg9qm

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A simple corner reflector worked for me. It's currently made of Reynold's Wrap on a coroplast support as I evaluate different dimensions. Coroplast, also known as "those plastic street corner signs advertising 'we buy homes'", is very inexpensive to obtain.

I first tried making yagis from the coroplast and the metal frames that sticks out of the ground, but the results weren't that good. "Small enough to be portable" doesn't quite get the job done, and positioning of the elements along the boom is limited to 1/8" intervals.
 

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SCPD

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A simple corner reflector worked for me. It's currently made of Reynold's Wrap on a coroplast support as I evaluate different dimensions. Coroplast, also known as "those plastic street corner signs advertising 'we buy homes'", is very inexpensive to obtain.

I first tried making yagis from the coroplast and the metal frames that sticks out of the ground, but the results weren't that good. "Small enough to be portable" doesn't quite get the job done, and positioning of the elements along the boom is limited to 1/8" intervals.


Cool idea thanks for posting this and the pics
 
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