YAGI arrived and all set up!!

[bobruzzo]

My EM Wave EM-B11809 6 element 800mhz yagi came in mail today. Took about 1 week. Previously I had fabricated a small mast made out of thick walled PVC pipe. Painted it dark brown to match the gutter spout its attached to. Rises above edge of roof about 2'. Luckily NO BEES.........I have been testing out this yagi, comparing it to the 800mhz mag mount I have been using for a while. It works VERY well....I lucked out. I pointed it east in the hopes I'd be able to get better reception of the Mass state police trunked system in Bristol County Mass. So it is receiving much better....nice audio less static. Comes in just about full scale now. And pointing in that direction allows me to receive all 4 RISCON sites. So I was able to improve BOTH systems I listen to and I didnt even have to move the antenna once it was mounted.

 

[mrkelso]

Nice installation. What did they charge you for the Antenna?

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

Which MASP site are you pointing at ? Guessing seeing there all east !
Attleboro , Fall River or Acushnet ?

Peter N1EXA

 

[K4EET]

Hi bobruzzo, looks like you did a nice installation of the Yagi antenna. The one thing that I do see apparently missing though is a lightning arrestor/ground system. Do you plan to add one?

 

[bobruzzo]

Nice installation. What did they charge you for the Antenna?

It was $69

 

[bobruzzo]

Which MASP site are you pointing at ? Guessing seeing there all east !
Attleboro , Fall River or Acushnet ?

Peter N1EXA

Well according to my waypoint survey it is pointed slightly to the north of Fall River.

 

[bobruzzo]

Hi bobruzzo, looks like you did a nice installation of the Yagi antenna. The one thing that I do see apparently missing though is a lightning arrestor/ground system. Do you plan to add one?

Yes I have to go get a clamp at hardware store and I already have the copper ground wire and copper stake. Should be done in morning.

 

[iMONITOR]

Glad it worked out for you. Mine is pulling in Detroit & Dearborn and numerous others from Macomb Township, Michigan

 

[bobruzzo]

Glad it worked out for you. Mine is pulling in Detroit & Dearborn and numerous others from Macomb Township, Michigan

Yes it is a really good antenna. I am able to receive everything that I want with better signals. I'd like to get it up a little higher but I guess its a trade off with lower height/shorter coax to higher up and longer coax. But from the spot I mounted it, you can see the horizon in distance. I am using 17' of LMR240 which is a little stiff but thinner. I was thinking I might be better off with it where it is. The coax loss will be higher if I connect to the 50' of LMR400 out there. But it's working pretty good so I am happy.

 

[iMONITOR]

Yes it is a really good antenna. I am able to receive everything that I want with better signals. I'd like to get it up a little higher but I guess its a trade off with lower height/shorter coax to higher up and longer coax. But from the spot I mounted it, you can see the horizon in distance. I am using 17' of LMR240 which is a little stiff but thinner. I was thinking I might be better off with it where it is. The coax loss will be higher if I connect to the 50' of LMR400 out there. But it's working pretty good so I am happy.

You know the old saying..."If it works don't fix it!!"

 

[KEWB-N1EXA]

Well according to my waypoint survey it is pointed slightly to the north of Fall River.

Where I am i may need one to point West toward the Riscon East Tower.
Seeing i'm a few miles for the Acushnet MASP site I dont think being off to the back side will matter.

Peter N1EXA

 

[bobruzzo]

You know the old saying..."If it works don't fix it!!"

I mean there is about ONE and a HALF inches of room to TWIST yagi a TINY bit to the south.......

 

[TailGator911]

Mine is pointed at the Nutter Center arena tower, southwest of my home QTH in Fairborn, OH, where I get excellent reception on my Ohio MARCS P25 digital simulcast system with the yagi perched about 12 feet above the roof on a mast that also has a Diamond N300J discone at the very top. I get excellent results from this pair of scanner antennas.

 

[Ubbe]

I hope that gutter are secured well, not just a spike but a bolt thru the wall and then washer and locking nut at the inside.

/Ubbe

 

[prcguy]

Have you read up on code for grounding the antenna?

Yes I have to go get a clamp at hardware store and I already have the copper ground wire and copper stake. Should be done in morning.

 

[Floridarailfanning]

Yes I have to go get a clamp at hardware store and I already have the copper ground wire and copper stake. Should be done in morning.

I would suggest using a PolyPhaser Multi-strike on an insulated grounding bar.

 

[iMONITOR]

I would suggest using a PolyPhaser Multi-strike on an insulated grounding bar.

What's he supposed to do with that way oversized, overkill, over priced copper bar? He's not installng a 100' tower for a 10KW radio station!

 

[prcguy]

That ground bar would be appropriate for a larger main cable entry point for a building or at the base of a tower as the first grounding point for multiple feedlines, but not that useful for a single home antenna.

I would suggest using a PolyPhaser Multi-strike on an insulated grounding bar.

 

[Floridarailfanning]

What's he supposed to do with that way oversized, overkill, over priced copper bar? He's not installng a 100' tower for a 10KW radio station!

I agree that it's overpriced but, overkill in terms of lightning protection is better than the alternative. I'm not trying to say that other options wouldn't be sufficient but this is how I would do it.

not that useful for a single home antenna.

True, but where there is one antenna, more often follow in the future.

 

[prcguy]

I would say its impossible for the OP to make the antenna lightning proof without a complete redesign and rebuild of the house electrical system and ground, so in my opinion its best to follow the NEC for grounding and disconnect the antenna when not in use or when a storm is approaching. A Polyphaser will not help in his type of setup. If he gets a direct hit the radio is toast as is most everything else plugged into power inside the house.

The grounding bar and Polyphaser would be fine in a commercially designed system that has a chance of surviving a direct hit if used properly.

I agree that it's overpriced but, overkill in terms of lightning protection is better than the alternative. I'm not trying to say that other options wouldn't be sufficient but this is how I would do it.

True, but where there is one antenna, more often follow in the future.