This weekend's wire antenna raising fun
I just got home from helping a buddy, Justin W1IX, put up a new antenna. This was a trip, starting at about 3:30 after the antenna was "assembled". You would think that a wire antenna is a simple antenna right? We built an 80m dipole. Simple enough - two 1/4w legs attached to a 1:1 balun at the center and a run of coax to the rig. No problem. Well, not exactly.
The first issue was raising the center. We had enough space to set it up as an inverted V, so that's what we did. We picked the highest, most centrally located tree for the center. I used a sling shot to shoot a lead fishing sinker with fishing line attached over a point in the tree. This took a long time. I got the line in the wrong spot 3 times in a row. Then, when I finally hit the right spot, the line broke when we hoisted up the rope. CRAP!
So, over to the store we went and got some higher strength fishing line (we used 8lb test at first and went up to 25lb test). By the time we got back it was dark. We are determined hams so we didn't let that stop us. This was about 5:30.
So, on went the new fishing line and we tried again to get the right spot in the tree. Another 3-4 attempts, dinner, and another two attempts later we got it. This time, the fishing line held great while hoisting up the rope. We even had to persuade the line a little bit with some force to get it through the branches.
Now the center was up with the legs dangling. Only, the legs were caught in more branches. So, we spent the next couple hours fishing the wire though branches and trying to bend branches out of the way. It was really a mess. We're determined Hams, though... right?
By the time we were all done (or, the antenna was up and ready to test) it was 11:00pm. WOW! where did the time go? I guess time flys when you're having fun.... or, freezing your hands because you can't wear gloves working with fishing line and wire? HEHE
So we went back in when it was all up and ran the analyzer on it. We cut the legs a bit long so we could adjust them. The SWR dip was right at the very bottom of 80 - 3.500. So, we went back out and shortened the legs a bit (6" or so) and got the antenna to resonate somewhere in the middle of the band.
All and all, the antenna works. It was an experience. I don't think "simple" wire antennas are that "simple" to begin with in most yards with trees hehehe - I've done a few other installations like this before. So, now Justin has a nice antenna to play with. I can't wait to have a yard to put up an antenna like that in hehehe - some day. Now, I wonder if we can work each other now (well), being only 8-10 miles apart? I would hope so.
The first issue was raising the center. We had enough space to set it up as an inverted V, so that's what we did. We picked the highest, most centrally located tree for the center. I used a sling shot to shoot a lead fishing sinker with fishing line attached over a point in the tree. This took a long time. I got the line in the wrong spot 3 times in a row. Then, when I finally hit the right spot, the line broke when we hoisted up the rope. CRAP!
So, over to the store we went and got some higher strength fishing line (we used 8lb test at first and went up to 25lb test). By the time we got back it was dark. We are determined hams so we didn't let that stop us. This was about 5:30.
So, on went the new fishing line and we tried again to get the right spot in the tree. Another 3-4 attempts, dinner, and another two attempts later we got it. This time, the fishing line held great while hoisting up the rope. We even had to persuade the line a little bit with some force to get it through the branches.
Now the center was up with the legs dangling. Only, the legs were caught in more branches. So, we spent the next couple hours fishing the wire though branches and trying to bend branches out of the way. It was really a mess. We're determined Hams, though... right?
By the time we were all done (or, the antenna was up and ready to test) it was 11:00pm. WOW! where did the time go? I guess time flys when you're having fun.... or, freezing your hands because you can't wear gloves working with fishing line and wire? HEHE
So we went back in when it was all up and ran the analyzer on it. We cut the legs a bit long so we could adjust them. The SWR dip was right at the very bottom of 80 - 3.500. So, we went back out and shortened the legs a bit (6" or so) and got the antenna to resonate somewhere in the middle of the band.
All and all, the antenna works. It was an experience. I don't think "simple" wire antennas are that "simple" to begin with in most yards with trees hehehe - I've done a few other installations like this before. So, now Justin has a nice antenna to play with. I can't wait to have a yard to put up an antenna like that in hehehe - some day. Now, I wonder if we can work each other now (well), being only 8-10 miles apart? I would hope so.
posted by Steve at
1:16 AM
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