Newbie question and a G5RV

[davecason]

Hi Folks,

I have a question about a new install. I just put up my first G5RV last night and I have it hooked to an IC-745 that I bought a month ago. I'm hoping someone can help me determine the "direction" of the antenna, I've been looking for the samples of the pattern of the antenna on the web and of course now I can't find them ....

I jumped on 40m last night and made my first HF contact with a group of guys in Seattle and we were both crystal clear. (so I know the radio works-grin) I even had the set down to 10 watts and for a newbie I was impressed.

Once the snow goes away I want to put a mast at the peak of the house (2 story) and get the middle of the antenna up above the edge of the roof line and try for another 8 feet so it’s actually “in the air” as opposed to beside the house so figure a total about 40 or 42 feet for the peak. As for the ends they'll get another 8 feet if I think I can get away with it. (2x4’s nailed to the fence) Each end is right now about 16 ft in the air and the middle is at about 35 just hung off the side of the house below the peak about a foot.

One section is at about 300 deg on the compass and the other is about 100 deg so it's NOT in a straight line but if I can find a way to line them up I will. I'm limited because of the lot I'm on, so based on what I have here can anyone give an idea about where that antenna is going to wind up looking or seeing?

Cheers’
Dave

 

[pyro424]

Well your G5RV is basically a Dipole antenna. It is not actually a dipole but it is very similar. This means that it has common characteristics of a dipole. So the way that the wire is running is going to be the weakest direction of your signal. The opposite direction will be your strongest. So if your wire is running in the direction of north to south then your signal will be strongest East to West. If that makes sense. Think of your "dipole" as just one element of a beam antenna. Except it is not so directional since you have not reflector or elements. In reality I would not worry so much about your direction. It will not make a huge difference which way you orientate it. Especially on the lower bands that you say you were on. Such as 40 and 80. Hope this makes sense. Good job getting on the air!

 

[LtDoc]

Your antenna will be approximately a 'broadside' thingy, strongest signals to the sides mostly. That's where any similarity to a dipole ends, the G5RV will have several lodes on all bands, they will not be symmetrical or in the same directions on all bands. So, I seriously doubt if changing it's orientation would change any directionality, especially at the height you have it or your proposed height. Higher is better though, so get all you can get. The biggy with a G5RV is to keep that ladder line off the ground and away from things.
- 'Doc

 

[n4yek]

In your current configuration, it will receive best from the South West, slightly less from the North East.
Your reception will be the worst at 300 and 100 degrees, the direction your antenna runs.
If you can get your 100 degree side to 120 degrees OR your 300 degree side to 280 degrees,
then it will receive pretty much equal North East and South West.

 

[davecason]

AH HA ! Yea that what I was looking for ..... I thought the signal would be worst off the two bearings, I looked on the web for another hour and did find that "radiation pattern" picture I was looking for so we're good to go.

Thanks guys .... and yep, I'm now on HF now but have a ways to go and learn. I do want to get some more elevation for the antenna on the whole and try to get the whole antenna up another 8 feet at least, I’ll wait till the snow stops though. (it’s “still” snowing here in Calgary- gurrr)

That's project one and project two is learning how to run this LDG AT-100Pro tuner I got the other day, I tried it last night and managed to get some bleeps out of it and saw pretty lights but gave up and went out to the G5RV directly. (I’m still worried about “causing harmful emissions” or just blowing something up - grin)

Cheers’
Dave

 

[davecason]

LDG AT100 Pro

Hey !

Well the antenna is happy I did a few decent contacts over the weekend and for folks in Washington state - they're in my backyard even at 10 watts, so once I get the antenna in to it's final position (8 feet more up- grin) I'll be good to go.

My next question is: Has anyone out there played with LDG's AT100 Pro tuner a lot?
I "think" mines working. I've read thru the manual but I think it kind of sucks.

I was hoping to find a little more info on what feedback you should be seeing when operating it. What's
in the manual is OK but it never seems to tell you what exactly you should be seeing during normal operation. I know that's kind of lame, but I'd like to see a section in there showing or at least describing what you should be seeing when it's working and what the display is showing you.

I do know that when you get an error the top row of LED's stays lit. That's the one good item in the manual that actually describes what a "state" looks like ....(see below)

"Error Indication
When performing a tuning cycle, there are several conditions that may occur that cause the tune to
fail. All are reported as an error, which is indicated by the entire row of PWR LEDs flashing briefly. "

So when you tune it - you get to hear the relay noise (so you know it's working- grin) but can someone explain what the display is or should show when it's happy?

Cheers'
Dave