More motoized fold-over antenna mount stuff
I got my antenna mounted to the motor unit! This is a really neat point to reach. Now I can actually get a feel for what this thing can do in it's intended application.
I have had many people tell me that if this thing is as powerful as I have said (and demonstrated) it to be then it would be an awful waste for one antenna. Well, I think that those of you who have voiced your comments may have a VERY valid point. I have decided to make a couple different antenna mounts that bolt on to the lever arms. I was originally going to weld my top plate on, but because of the possibility of changing it out for different mounts depending on the application I decided to drill and tap the arms/plates for interchangeability.
Right now I just have the pictured mount plate. I will work on another one as time allows that will accommodate at least 2 antennas (dual bander and 11m). I am thinking of a bar maybe 2 to 3 feet wide with mounts out at each end to minimize the interaction between the two. I might put a 3/8"x24 stud on there for my cell antenna also (doesn't need coax as it is built-in, unfortunately).
To be honest, I really dislike mounting antennas next to each other and at odd corners of the vehicle because of the radiation pattern. Mounting an antenna as close to the center of the vehicle provides the most omni-directional pattern. Antennas mounted, say on a corner (like my 3/8"x24 mount that holds my 11 meter antenna at the moment) are actually slightly directive in the direction towards the most ground plane mass. Again, the 11 meter antenna for example - it is mounted on the back right corner of my truck so it is most sensitive towards the front left across the truck.
The next big step is to get the enclosure made up for the motor assembly. It will mount at the center of the rack. The rack piping will actually slide in to the enclosure about an inch or so, which means I can't weld up the rack until I get the enclosure done. Then it is off to the races! Or should I say running lots of wires? It needs a multi-strand control cable, power cable, terminal strip, coax for each antenna, grounding, control relays, limit switches, control switches, fuses, and on and on HIHIHI. This project just gets longer and longer...
I have had many people tell me that if this thing is as powerful as I have said (and demonstrated) it to be then it would be an awful waste for one antenna. Well, I think that those of you who have voiced your comments may have a VERY valid point. I have decided to make a couple different antenna mounts that bolt on to the lever arms. I was originally going to weld my top plate on, but because of the possibility of changing it out for different mounts depending on the application I decided to drill and tap the arms/plates for interchangeability.
Right now I just have the pictured mount plate. I will work on another one as time allows that will accommodate at least 2 antennas (dual bander and 11m). I am thinking of a bar maybe 2 to 3 feet wide with mounts out at each end to minimize the interaction between the two. I might put a 3/8"x24 stud on there for my cell antenna also (doesn't need coax as it is built-in, unfortunately).
To be honest, I really dislike mounting antennas next to each other and at odd corners of the vehicle because of the radiation pattern. Mounting an antenna as close to the center of the vehicle provides the most omni-directional pattern. Antennas mounted, say on a corner (like my 3/8"x24 mount that holds my 11 meter antenna at the moment) are actually slightly directive in the direction towards the most ground plane mass. Again, the 11 meter antenna for example - it is mounted on the back right corner of my truck so it is most sensitive towards the front left across the truck.
The next big step is to get the enclosure made up for the motor assembly. It will mount at the center of the rack. The rack piping will actually slide in to the enclosure about an inch or so, which means I can't weld up the rack until I get the enclosure done. Then it is off to the races! Or should I say running lots of wires? It needs a multi-strand control cable, power cable, terminal strip, coax for each antenna, grounding, control relays, limit switches, control switches, fuses, and on and on HIHIHI. This project just gets longer and longer...
posted by Steve at
7:30 PM
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