So I bought this Antennacraft ST2 "Scantenna"

[copperhd]

Good antenna & works well. Before you put it up, go to an auto parts stre & get some dielectric grease to put on all outdoor connections (where the 3oo to 75 balun) attaches to make good contact, prevent corrosion, weather proof. It may save you from having to take it down for trouble shooting during the winter & is cheap insurance.

 

[stingray327]

Good antenna & works well. Before you put it up, go to an auto parts stre & get some dielectric grease to put on all outdoor connections (where the 3oo to 75 balun) attaches to make good contact, prevent corrosion, weather proof. It may save you from having to take it down for trouble shooting during the winter & is cheap insurance.

What I used was that black putty that is suppose to seal. It goes on easy and is not messy. It is like chewing gum.

 

[joeuser]

There is a bunch of stuff out there to seal with scotch 33, 66, silicone tape, etc... Just protect it

 

[joeuser]

So I'm putting up the ST2 tomorrow, at the end farthest from the pole mount there are two, about 4in. long elements. They reside on the posts that you hook up the adapter with weather boot thing to. There are to little flat metals that angle up & away from the elements. What the heck are they for? No mention of them in the paperwork...

 

[Blackink]

Look here....

So I'm putting up the ST2 tomorrow, at the end farthest from the pole mount there are two, about 4in. long elements. They reside on the posts that you hook up the adapter with weather boot thing to. There are to little flat metals that angle up & away from the elements. What the heck are they for? No mention of them in the paperwork...

Here's a link that might help but specifically look at post #68:
http://forums.radioreference.com/sc...so-i-bought-antennacraft-st2-scantenna-4.html

 

[joeuser]

Yeah, I'm not sure that's the same thing. These are on the back of that area, unseen in that pic.

 

[Voyager]

Put them out away from the mast (same as the other elements)

They go parallel to the two outter-most elements. You may need to bend them so they go out straight and don't touch the other elements.

Update: Actually, in that link pic (above) it looks like they have them running parallel to the mast if you look close, and we are talking about the two 2-3" elements at the very end opposite the mounting u-bolt. but the instructions show them pointing straight away from the mast - along with the two 4-5" elements. They run parallel about 1" apart. Look at the instruction pic again. They are shown.

 

[Voyager]

Here are two pics. The first one shows the antenna with the shipped config (the right elements), and installed config (the left elements). Also shown is the doc pic showing the same thing.

Are those what you're talking about?

 

[stingray327]

I forgot to order a new ST-2 today which is suppose to hold up against the wind better without reinforcement. I still have the old design brand new ST-2 in old box that will need the reinforcement via fiberglass rod.

 

[joeuser]

Here are two pics. The first one shows the antenna with the shipped config (the right elements), and installed config (the left elements). Also shown is the doc pic showing the same thing.

Are those what you're talking about?

Yeah those wing things... So they are elements also?

 

[joeuser]

I forgot to order a new ST-2 today which is suppose to hold up against the wind better without reinforcement. I still have the old design brand new ST-2 in old box that will need the reinforcement via fiberglass rod.

Im going to reinforce it anyway, I have a new one but why take chances!

 

[Voyager]

Yeah those wing things... So they are elements also?

Either that or gamma matches.

But, you have them placed correctly.

 

[joeuser]

Either that or gamma matches.

But, you have them placed correctly.

TYVM!

 

[Voyager]

YWVM

 

[stingray327]

Im going to reinforce it anyway, I have a new one but why take chances!

Actually what I will do is just put up the new ST-2 antenna old design and reinforce it so I can have more room and make use of this antenna. I don't know which ST-2 would resist wind better or if it will make a difference if you get the new ST-2 vs. the old ST-2 that is reinforced?

 

[joeuser]

Actually what I will do is just put up the new ST-2 antenna old design and reinforce it so I can have more room and make use of this antenna. I don't know which ST-2 would resist wind better or if it will make a difference if you get the new ST-2 vs. the old ST-2 that is reinforced?

I don't think it will make a difference if you reinforce it.

 

[joeuser]

Well, its mounted, cabled, taped, zip tied, grounded, & plumbed. However, its deaf as a post. I think the fault is mine.
The transformer with the pigtails... I think I should have made the copper core longer than the end of the screw sleeve of that cable... That's how I've always cut coax, have the copper core wire flush with the sleeve... I'm guessing it needs to be longer... Anyone know more?

 

[Voyager]

Yours didn't come with a preassembled length of RG6?

I would first suspect the balun.

 

[joeuser]

Yours didn't come with a preassembled length of RG6?

I would first suspect the balun.

Oh it did but I didn't need 50ft! So, I had some RG-6 left over from when I vended & installed Starband. Its a 1000ft box of the stuff. I trimmed the ends, run the stripper, screw the connector, & crimp. I seal with some Scotch 35 Vinyl. I did a grounding block & grounded it to the CATV providors ground.

I've never seen that long a barrel on anything before, let alone this transformer, which I had never seen before! I just got this sick feeling I should have probed that thing to see how deep it is & then cut & stripped...

 

[Voyager]

I would run the OEM cable as a test, then diagnose from there. You can also "jump out" the balun to see if that improves things.

I just got the one I took the pic of from Rat Shack, so I guess I should test it, too. Couldn't pass up the $32 sale minus a $10 coupon I had making the price $22 and still free shipping.

Also, how RF-dense is your area? It's possible you are overloading your scanner.

Hmmm... I wonder if the CATV ground has some noise, too.