Struttin' my stuff

[KC0QNB]

Here two pictures of my current base antenna install, I have a 25g in the back yard, just haven't taken the time to "plant it". The first image is more of an overall, the antenna on top is a ringo ranger for 2m, down and right is my favorite scanner antenna is the venerable RS original discone, below that is a standard FM broad cast, on the left side is my weather radio antenna, that will be replaced soon with a NOS A/S aircraft gp.
The second image is a closer view of the strut sidemount and teh attaching hardware.

 

[SAR923]

Nice way to mount standofs. My only suggestion would be to replace that tape holding the coax with high quality tie wraps. Looks better and you can straighten out the coax so it's well secured to the mast and doesn't flap in the wind.

 

[af5rn]

What is the point of that coax loop? I understand the value of a drip loop where the coax enters the home. I'm assuming it is there to give you enough slack to remove the antenna for service while still connected?

 

[KE5HOB]

What is the point of that coax loop? I understand the value of a drip loop where the coax enters the home. I'm assuming it is there to give you enough slack to remove the antenna for service while still connected?

It couldn't be a balun, could it? No, seriously, what is it there for? lol

 

[lowboy654]

I agree what's the loop for and the tape some wire stand off's or zip tie's are in order here other then that it's looking good.

 

[kenisned]

What is the point of that coax loop? I understand the value of a drip loop where the coax enters the home. I'm assuming it is there to give you enough slack to remove the antenna for service while still connected?

That's why I do it on a mast like that. A little slack for when I adjust it or remove it. Rare that I do, but it happens.

 

[CLTX11]

This is something way more than I would ever do. I hope it work out for ya cause I would never know!

Seriously, thanks for sharing your photos, looks to good!

 

[KC0QNB]

What is the point of that coax loop? I understand the value of a drip loop where the coax enters the home. I'm assuming it is there to give you enough slack to remove the antenna for service while still connected?

You guys will have to laugh with me on this one, I was told many years ago that that turn will help stop lightning, so I took him at his word and have been doing that for years, one of those "we have always done that" things come to find out it is in fact one of those urban myth things, but I guess it would help if you wanted to remove the antenna while still connected to the feedline, when I go up there to put the 1/4 wave gp up I will remove the loop, and get some uv rated wire ties attached in place of the tape. Thanks for lookin', and askin'
R

 

[fez_uk]

Not alot stops lightning.

Some people here in the UK do that loop so the water won't wreck all the coax if it finds its way in.

 

[AK9R]

My only suggestion would be to replace that tape holding the coax with high quality tie wraps.

An old tower climber friend of mine always preferred high-quality tape over ty-wraps. The problem with ty-wraps is that if you get them tight enough to stay in place, you risk crushing the coax a bit. Any deformation of the coax is a potential impedance bump. This is especially a problem with air core or foam core coax.

 

[loumaag]

An old tower climber friend of mine always preferred high-quality tape over ty-wraps. The problem with ty-wraps is that if you get them tight enough to stay in place, you risk crushing the coax a bit. Any deformation of the coax is a potential impedance bump. This is especially a problem with air core or foam core coax.

I agree with this myself. I have used both over the years and have returned to using high quality electrical tape. It does not come loose when stretched during placement or impact the coax at all.

 

[EncryptionMan]

The proper way to string coax down a tower is to use hanger kits. The use of electrical tape and wire ties on a tower is never done by climbers and those in the industry.

However on temporary towers theres nothing wrong UV rated wire ties. You would really have to crank down on it to harm the coax.

Electrical tape? Thats ham radio quality

http://www.tessco.com/products/displayProducts.do?groupId=436&subgroupId=10


Also, to the poster of this thread I noticed your coax to antenna connections are unprotected. I recommend you use silicone tape to seal those connections from water.

http://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=371673&eventPage=1

 

[knightrider]

The loop may be said to prevent the lightening strike from traveling down the coax, but as stated, it won't. It will reduce the chances of static electricity from nearby strikes going down and causing damage. It is also used to prevent RF from traveling back down the coax. Many antennas like to send it back to you if it can.... It's up to you, but I do it with all of my coax, as we do get a good bit of lightening here in Texas. From HF to 900 Mhz, and these are used to send and recieve on. I do make more than one loop, usually about 6. As for keeping the coax in place, before all of the modern technology, many of us used insulated solid 14 gauge copper wire. Guess that is what has been replaced by the "hanger kits".
Knightrider

 

[hoser147]

Antenna farm looks good, Ive used tape before with no problems. Hoser

 

[KC0QNB]

The proper way to string coax down a tower is to use hanger kits. The use of electrical tape and wire ties on a tower is never done by climbers and those in the industry.

However on temporary towers theres nothing wrong UV rated wire ties. You would really have to crank down on it to harm the coax.

Electrical tape? Thats ham radio quality

http://www.tessco.com/products/displayProducts.do?groupId=436&subgroupId=10


Also, to the poster of this thread I noticed your coax to antenna connections are unprotected. I recommend you use silicone tape to seal those connections from water.

http://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=371673&eventPage=1

Well I have never used tape on connections, mainly back in the day when I did this kind of stuff as a semi-pro, most of the commercial grade antenna instructions state Do Not Tape Connections, the reasoning was if moisture ever got into the connection it would never leave, I did however have an associate that taped his connections, one day he had a service call and when he peeled the tape off, the entire connection was green, he replaced the whole coax run because the copper in the cable was also green, down two feet into the run, which of course made the cable too short for the run. It's your call whether or not to tape, I choose not to.

edit to add, the Motorola dealer in this area uses #14 solid black insulated wire to secure cables to the mast/tower.
R

 

[EncryptionMan]

Well I have never used tape on connections, mainly back in the day when I did this kind of stuff as a semi-pro, most of the commercial grade antenna instructions state Do Not Tape Connections, the reasoning was if moisture ever got into the connection it would never leave, I did however have an associate that taped his connections, one day he had a service call and when he peeled the tape off, the entire connection was green, he replaced the whole coax run because the copper in the cable was also green, down two feet into the run, which of course made the cable too short for the run. It's your call whether or not to tape, I choose not to.

edit to add, the Motorola dealer in this area uses #14 solid black insulated wire to secure cables to the mast/tower.
R

IF you are referring to the silicone tape in my above post it is designed specifically for tower strung coax connections exposed to the elements. While I would agree to never use normal tape this stuff is designed to prevent water/ moisture and dirt from getting inside the cable and ends.

 

[af5rn]

Is that a tower or just a mast? Can we see the rest of it, like the base and any other supports?

 

[KC0QNB]

This is just a 10' piece of 1" emt, set up as a mast, not the ideal situation but it works for now
like I stated before I have a 25g laying in the backyard, and I have two more that I can have if
I can figure out how to get insured to remove them, but that will be tough. I do have a friend that does tower work that "volunteered" for a steak dinner.
As far as the one in the back yard I just haven't found the time and money (concrete) to install it yet. Rohn says that a round hole will work, I know a guy that had a 24" earth auger that he uses for installing pivot (irrigation machine) pads, but there is the money issue again.

 

[Tom_G]

The loops are typically used to take the stress off the connectors.
This way the connector is not taking the entire weiight of the cable.

 

[kb9hgi]

The loops are typically used to take the stress off the connectors.
This way the connector is not taking the entire weiight of the cable.

Tom hit the nail on the head!

and for the electrical tape you bet this Ham has used good electrical tape to hold the coax in place on the pole. Lasted for years!