707ways2Sunday
Member
I have a few locals around here. One with a small repeater setup. I am the furthest away in the group. First antenna I put up was a Laird FG4505W. Great Match. Also tried a copper pipe slim Jim. I could hit the friend repeater about 10 miles away but reports weren’t very good. 40W. The rest of the group could work a downtown repeater as they were right on the edge of the published range of that repeater.
I’m about a good 5 miles beyond that. Beside that I come to suspect I had a lot of things working against me. One I have a huge pine tree and 2 oak trees in my front yard directly between me and both repeaters. Along with massive oak trees directly across the street. 50’ of rg8x coax that will be a bit before I can upgrade that. At any rate I was a little disappointed and aggravated.
I have been building my own antennas for 11m for quite some time. So I thought I need some gain here. How hard could it be to build one of these baby antennas?? No idea at the time how thing would go but I had to see it through. Found what was left of a roll of 6AWG solid copper wire. That and about? I don’t know didn’t even measure it, guessing 35-40” piece 3/4 pvc pipe. Thought to myself I will add elements until what I had left of the wire runs out. Ended up being 8 elements. No modeling or online yagi calculator. Just basic wavelength equations and spacing percentage's. Direct fed with a small hairpin match. Made from 10 guage wire. Hung it from the ceiling in my room to test it. Much better reports at and through the local Repeater. Simplex also. No go at that point hitting downtown.
I was prepared for failure but hopeful. Put it up outside about 15’ off the ground and hit pay dirt. No idea what I ended up with gain wise but don’t care. Been making good contacts is what counts. Was about to give up on my new interest but glad I didn’t. Going to upgrade the coax put a tv rotor I have to work and get that thing up about 30-40’ in the air.
Driven element and first director got a little out of wack and the Mastrant chord hanging that I didn’t trim back when I slapped it up there but that will all be corrected shortly. Guess I was in a hurry to test it.
I’m about a good 5 miles beyond that. Beside that I come to suspect I had a lot of things working against me. One I have a huge pine tree and 2 oak trees in my front yard directly between me and both repeaters. Along with massive oak trees directly across the street. 50’ of rg8x coax that will be a bit before I can upgrade that. At any rate I was a little disappointed and aggravated.
I have been building my own antennas for 11m for quite some time. So I thought I need some gain here. How hard could it be to build one of these baby antennas?? No idea at the time how thing would go but I had to see it through. Found what was left of a roll of 6AWG solid copper wire. That and about? I don’t know didn’t even measure it, guessing 35-40” piece 3/4 pvc pipe. Thought to myself I will add elements until what I had left of the wire runs out. Ended up being 8 elements. No modeling or online yagi calculator. Just basic wavelength equations and spacing percentage's. Direct fed with a small hairpin match. Made from 10 guage wire. Hung it from the ceiling in my room to test it. Much better reports at and through the local Repeater. Simplex also. No go at that point hitting downtown.
I was prepared for failure but hopeful. Put it up outside about 15’ off the ground and hit pay dirt. No idea what I ended up with gain wise but don’t care. Been making good contacts is what counts. Was about to give up on my new interest but glad I didn’t. Going to upgrade the coax put a tv rotor I have to work and get that thing up about 30-40’ in the air.
Driven element and first director got a little out of wack and the Mastrant chord hanging that I didn’t trim back when I slapped it up there but that will all be corrected shortly. Guess I was in a hurry to test it.
