Looking over the garden I have a number of antennas
dotted around various points and it’s definitely beginning to look rather
scruffy and the XYL has started to make some comments!
This time though I actually agree with her and I really ought to do something about it. Although I love my hobby I don’t want antennas to take over my garden, after all I am very lucky to live in a wonderful location and I don’t want passers-by to think who’s that messy individual ruining this wonderful countryside!
This time though I actually agree with her and I really ought to do something about it. Although I love my hobby I don’t want antennas to take over my garden, after all I am very lucky to live in a wonderful location and I don’t want passers-by to think who’s that messy individual ruining this wonderful countryside!
At the moment
In one corner of the garden hanging some 30ft up in the silver birch is my home
brew experimental G5RV, it’s in the inverted vee position and has various bits
of cord hanging down off the ends and does look very scruffy.
In the opposite corner is the 30 meter vertical and the old Hygain 18vs, now a 20 meter mono bander, both placed there simply because that’s where I have all the ground radials centred, the 30 meter vertical is a simple wire thread through a fibre glass pole but works very well, the pole is some 25ft high and is white so stands out against the spring foliage which is rather obvious and not exactly stealthy!
In the opposite corner is the 30 meter vertical and the old Hygain 18vs, now a 20 meter mono bander, both placed there simply because that’s where I have all the ground radials centred, the 30 meter vertical is a simple wire thread through a fibre glass pole but works very well, the pole is some 25ft high and is white so stands out against the spring foliage which is rather obvious and not exactly stealthy!
It actually looks quite picturesque but believe me it is a bit of a mess, especially when you go up close and see all the wires hanging everywhere.
Then to the side of the house I have
the 40ft mast which has the Cobweb and the W3DZZ. Obviously I cannot use the
antennas all at once and really I think the time has come to reduce the number
and just concentrate on one particular area of the garden. So I'm going to remove
the G5RV, the 30 meter vertical and Hygain and replace with one smaller
multiband vertical.
The Cobweb will stay as it’s my pride and joy and I doubt for the size if any other antenna besides a small Yagi (what's one of them?) would beat it and since the mast and Cobweb are staying I might as well keep the W3DZZ as it's an excellent antenna for the lower bands, this way I will eventually just have 3 antennas that will be used for the all the transceivers.
The Cobweb will stay as it’s my pride and joy and I doubt for the size if any other antenna besides a small Yagi (what's one of them?) would beat it and since the mast and Cobweb are staying I might as well keep the W3DZZ as it's an excellent antenna for the lower bands, this way I will eventually just have 3 antennas that will be used for the all the transceivers.
While mulling over my antenna dilemma I did a check on the ground
radials and the plate needs a good tidy as some of the bolts are looking very
rusty and grass and mud is beginning to cover the plate which is not good for
the connections, so I've gone ahead and dismantled it and given it a good clean
ready for mounting the new multi band antenna.
Where is the ground radial plate?
So once I had unbolted all the 30 odd wires and cleared away the muck I managed to prise it off the ground and give it a good inspection. Considering it's a home made job it has lasted pretty well and providing I maintain it every few years it should go on for many years to come.
The wires are a bit of a mish mash, some connected together others are separate, I guess because I've added extra as I've gone along. I will add some more as I'm short for 80 meters so whilst they are free of the plate I get busy adding a few extra.
After a good clean the actual plate doesn't look too bad but there are some bolts that will need replacing and I'll need to re-coat them with some protective grease. Then its just a matter of adding a few more radials and putting back in the ground.
All cleaned up and reconnected plus a few extra wires for 80 meters.
All cleaned up and reconnected plus a few extra wires for 80 meters.
.........So what vertical multi band
antenna should I get or make?
To be honest I'm rather tempted with something commercial like a Cushcraft or a Hustler, normally I like to build my own antennas but quite honestly I just fancy a change.
My Brother in law has a Hustler 6BTV and reckons it’s an excellent vertical, I've had a play on his FT1000D (wonderful radio) and the antenna does bring in some good signals and transmits pretty well especially considering he’s surrounded by telephone and electrical cables and has minimum ground radials. With my location, nearly 1000 ASL plus my ground radials I should see a definite improvement to his set up. Also the Eham reviews are very good for the Hustler but, there is no way I'm paying out over £200 for a new one.
By chance I happened to be looking in Ebay last night and there as if fate was telling me something was a 6BTV for sale, 3 months old but going for £150. A little high on price but I have to admit I was bitten and so purchased it there and then, (oh Lord what have I done, don't tell the XLY!!)
To be honest I'm rather tempted with something commercial like a Cushcraft or a Hustler, normally I like to build my own antennas but quite honestly I just fancy a change.
My Brother in law has a Hustler 6BTV and reckons it’s an excellent vertical, I've had a play on his FT1000D (wonderful radio) and the antenna does bring in some good signals and transmits pretty well especially considering he’s surrounded by telephone and electrical cables and has minimum ground radials. With my location, nearly 1000 ASL plus my ground radials I should see a definite improvement to his set up. Also the Eham reviews are very good for the Hustler but, there is no way I'm paying out over £200 for a new one.
By chance I happened to be looking in Ebay last night and there as if fate was telling me something was a 6BTV for sale, 3 months old but going for £150. A little high on price but I have to admit I was bitten and so purchased it there and then, (oh Lord what have I done, don't tell the XLY!!)
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