HAM antenna at home? (1 Viewer)

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Trunk Monkey

Trunk Monkey

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I've got my 208H rigged up to a power supply so I can use it in my home. I currently just have a mag mount antenna that I set near the window, nothing fancy at all. I'd like to rig up something simple outside. My desk is near the cold air intake for the furnace room, so I can run coax outside easily. I do not want a large antenna or tower. I would like to use maybe a 5 or 6 foot tall antenna mounted to the top of the fence post. Run coax down the post and inside. Would that work? Does something like that need to be grounded? It would be about 2' away from the side of my house and way below the roofline, is the reception going to be poor?
 
Trunk Monkey said:
I've got my 208H rigged up to a power supply so I can use it in my home. I currently just have a mag mount antenna that I set near the window, nothing fancy at all. I'd like to rig up something simple outside. My desk is near the cold air intake for the furnace room, so I can run coax outside easily. I do not want a large antenna or tower. I would like to use maybe a 5 or 6 foot tall antenna mounted to the top of the fence post. Run coax down the post and inside. Would that work? Does something like that need to be grounded? It would be about 2' away from the side of my house and way below the roofline, is the reception going to be poor?
Click to expand...
Most any outside antenna will be a great improvement over a rubber duck or similar antenna. You could easily fab something up, say a half wave. And yes I would ground the antenna mast.
 
FJ40_owner said:
Most any outside antenna will be a great improvement over a rubber duck or similar antenna.
Click to expand...

Definitely agree! Put your mag mount outside and run the coax inside to your radio - you'll see a difference.

For VHF/UHF, I made my own J-Pole using copper pipe. I mounted it using u-bolts to an existing antenna mast on my chimney (from the PO) and ran the coax down into the house - exceptional reception. I wasn't sure about how it would look, but in the end it blends in with the copper gutters and flashing and disappears.

I haven't found anything for the HF bands yet. A tower isn't an option on my current 1/2 acre property, so I'm looking for a wire antenna. But I want an end-fed design as I have two large ~150ft) trees with about 150ft clear space between them, and I don't want the feed line dropping down into the clear-space of the yard (only b/c the kids and/or landscape guys would damage it eventually). Like I said, I'm still looking.
 
I had a go at making a copper J pole as well. It worked ok, though it would have been better if I'd done a slightly better job measuring... it was a fun project though.

I ended up buying a dual band Arrow for $40:
J146/440 [ARR-J146440] - $39.00 : Radioworld Canada Amateur Ham Radio GPS Marine VHF SSB radios Shortwave Wideband Radio Scanners CB FRS Central Toronto Ontario Canada

I currently have it mounted on a collapsible camping tarp pole, and just set it outside - not ideal, but I can hit the repeaters around here easily. I need to get it on a proper mount up in the air, then it should work much better. My BIL bought the same one and mounted it on his roof - it works great.

Like Miescha, I'm still trying to figure out what to do for an HF antenna.
 
I should point out that I have some experience sweating copper pipes and already had the torch, flux, and solder (and the pipe). More importantly, I had very accurate dimensions from a local club member (which are probably easily found on the web, but I'll find and post up if anyone wants them).

I can actually hit most of the repeaters from any cheap HT rubber duck with just 5w as I live about 4 blocks from one of the most heavily used repeaters in my area, and only about 4 miles from the second most heavily used repeater (and no more than 10 miles from all the rest).

However, when I switched to the J-Pole, I was able to work repeaters 60-80 miles away using my IC-7000 with the full 100 watts.

I did recently find an ebay option that looks like a heck of a nice job and the price is probably about the cost of materials these days (even with shipping). Check it out here.

I recall seeing a stainless steel version also, but for more money.

EDIT: In case the link changes at some point, cost is ~$25 plus ~$7 shipping depending on your location.
 
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Pick up a copy of the ARRL antenna handbook. It's well worth the money if you want to try your hand at home brew antennas. (Which BTW i highly recommend, you can build a very effective antenna for a fraction f the cost of buying one.)
 
rusty_tlc said:
Pick up a copy of the ARRL antenna handbook. It's well worth the money if you want to try your hand at home brew antennas. (Which BTW i highly recommend, you can build a very effective antenna for a fraction f the cost of buying one.)
Click to expand...

The antenna book was part of my recent HRO order - should arrive sometime next week.
 
Miescha said:
I should point out that I have some experience sweating copper pipes and already had the torch, flux, and solder (and the pipe). More importantly, I had very accurate dimensions from a local club member (which are probably easily found on the web, but I'll find and post up if anyone wants them).

I can actually hit most of the repeaters from any cheap HT rubber duck with just 5w as I live about 4 blocks from one of the most heavily used repeaters in my area, and only about 4 miles from the second most heavily used repeater (and no more than 10 miles from all the rest).

However, when I switched to the J-Pole, I was able to work repeaters 60-80 miles away using my IC-7000 with the full 100 watts.

I did recently find an ebay option that looks like a heck of a nice job and the price is probably about the cost of materials these days (even with shipping). Check it out here.

I recall seeing a stainless steel version also, but for more money.

EDIT: In case the link changes at some point, cost is ~$25 plus ~$7 shipping depending on your location.
Click to expand...
Where is the ebay link?
 
I saw this j-pole recently. What I didn't understand is how the coax attached to the antenna.
 
bj70_guy said:
I thought this was a neat idea for the builders, the folding J pole:

Folding J-Pole Antenna by dxzone.com
Click to expand...

That is pretty neat - but it looks like lot of pricey copper. Still, perfect for the mud community as it could easily be stored in the back of the 80 and used as a base antenna when camping/group wheeling/etc...

pappy said:
I saw this j-pole recently. What I didn't understand is how the coax attached to the antenna.
Click to expand...

That's nearly identical to the original one I posted - looks like just the lower piece is longer so you can stick it in the ground rather than pole mounting it. The coax gets hard mounted by stripping the outer insulating sheath to bare the braided ground and then stripping the inner insulation to bare the center wire. The center wire then gets soldered to the shorter element.

You'd probably be better off to buy the $2 SO-239 and solder it in place. You can see this done in the link in my earlier post (re-linked by BJ70-guy).

Hope this helps.
 
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Miescha said:
That is pretty neat - but it looks like lot of pricey copper. Still, perfect for the mud community as it could easily be stored in the back of the 80 and used as a base antenna when camping/group wheeling/etc...
Click to expand...

Hmm, I don't think it's really any more copper than making a standard J pole, just a few extra connectors, which are only a couple of bucks. Plus the shock cord and eyes...

I agree though, could be a nifty 2/70 base camp antenna - strap it to a tarp pole and get it in the air.

Trunk Monkey, that Arrow is the one I bought. It works great.
 
I recommend 3 things. I have at least 2 at my house right now.

I first made a 2M yagi out of PVC and some welding rod. See the .pdf "7dB for $7" Works great! AND CHEAP!!
Here is the link to the .pdf

The second is a very similar antenna from Arrow Antennas in Wyoming. They make a 4 element 2M yagi for $59. Comes with everything but a mast. AWESOME antenna, and the guy does super sweet machine work on all of the material. The model I have is the solid material version. It is only $1 more than the hollow version, and super strong. Go here for their website, scroll down to solid element yagi antennas, 146-4S

The third is the J-Pole. I don't have this one up at the house, but they are simple and effective. An alternative to the Copper pipe J-pole is the 300Ω J-pole. Radio Shack still sells the stuff for dirt cheap and you can give some to all of your friends. It works using the same principles as the copper pipe one, just a little smaller, you can thumbtack it to the wall, but it is harder to solder the coax to. Also a phenomenal antenna. Here are the directions for the 300Ω J-Pole
 
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You guys are killing me. I keep trying to figure out how to get wire from inside the house to the roof.
 
pappy said:
You guys are killing me. I keep trying to figure out how to get wire from inside the house to the roof.
Click to expand...

Up through the attic, drill, foam and silicon seal. :D

You can go through swamp cooler, bathroom vent, attic vent, up the side of the house . . . .
 
groucho said:
I recommend 3 things. I have at least 2 at my house right now.

I first made a 2M yagi out of PVC and some welding rod. See the .pdf "7dB for $7" Works great! AND CHEAP!!
Here is the link to the .pdf

The second is a very similar antenna from Arrow Antennas in Wyoming. They make a 4 element 2M yagi for $59. Comes with everything but a mast. AWESOME antenna, and the guy does super sweet machine work on all of the material. The model I have is the solid material version. It is only $1 more than the hollow version, and super strong. Go here for their website, scroll down to solid element yagi antennas, 146-4S

The third is the J-Pole. I don't have this one up at the house, but they are simple and effective. An alternative to the Copper pipe J-pole is the 300Ω J-pole. Radio Shack still sells the stuff for dirt cheap and you can give some to all of your friends. It works using the same principles as the copper pipe one, just a little smaller, you can thumbtack it to the wall, but it is harder to solder the coax to. Also a phenomenal antenna. Here are the directions for the 300Ω J-Pole
Click to expand...
I made the 300 Ohm twin lead j pole 25 years ago and still have it. I use it for hiking and backpacking. (Prior to voting receivers!)

One thing I am noticing, many hams are not aware of the state of charge in their HH battery and have weak, noisy, crappy signals. A fresh battery will work wonders for your signal.

Be concerned with what connector you install on the hand held side of the twin lead antenna. Mine has a BNC connector. Most newer HH's use the SMA style.
 
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