Emcomm Box Construction - Getting Closer ***New Pics - Radios on Bottom*** - Page 7

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Emcomm Box Construction - Getting Closer ***New Pics - Radios on Bottom*** (Page 7 of 8)

Posted: 5/29/2010 4:37:04 PM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
BigDaddy...

Do you think you will need an additional rope to hold up the balun, to support the weight of the coax? Do you have a convenient limb to hang it on?

AFM,
Yes, I do think I'll need that extra support rope. I fought that darned thing for a couple of hours today. First the east side went up fine, but the west side snagged some 25-30' saplings right over the balun. So I tried lowering each side in turn to clear them. No luck, yet. I think the extra rope pulling directly up on top of the balun will help pull through the lower branches. If not, I found my lumberjack shirt....

ETA: I didn't spend as much time as I wanted on this project today because the XYL saw a new car she had to have.

Posted: 5/29/2010 4:52:05 PM EDT

[#2]

Tell her you are busy being a man , the car can wait ..

Report back when XYL is gone .

Posted: 5/29/2010 6:41:54 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
Tell her you are busy being a man , the car can wait ..

Report back when XYL is gone .

THIS. radio>XYL.

i will now run and hide and hope MY XYL wont see this.

Posted: 5/30/2010 1:04:31 PM EDT

[#4]

The antenna is up.

Stealth Antenna Overview

East Support Tree

Center Support Tree

West Support Tree

West Support Tree Close Up

Balun and Coax

Balun West Looking East

Coax Coming Down Tree

East Antenna Support Rope, Insulator, Antenna

Between Fence and Woods

Posted: 5/30/2010 1:16:45 PM EDT

[#5]

It's about damned time!

Operational effectiveness report?

Posted: 5/30/2010 1:21:20 PM EDT

[#6]

Very cool construction thread you have going. The wire in the trees look great too! I wish I had to struggle with trees like that here behind my house.

Posted: 5/30/2010 1:28:58 PM EDT

[#7]

Now THIS is what you call "stealth"!!!

EAT ME, YOU HOA NAZIS!!!!!!

Congrats, BigDaddy!!!

Posted: 5/30/2010 1:34:54 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
It's about damned time!

Operational effectiveness report?

I haven't had a chance to play radio, yet! I have to take my son to see "Prince of Persia" at the movies. I'll post more later tonight.

Quoted:
Very cool construction thread you have going. The wire in the trees look great too! I wish I had to struggle with trees like that here behind my house.

Thanks jaat13! Another Indiana Ham!

Posted: 5/30/2010 1:37:20 PM EDT

[#9]

Now if you could just spray paint the coax, and glue on some plastic leaves or something, it would look like a vine.

Posted: 5/30/2010 1:37:35 PM EDT

[#10]

Nice stealthy job....I want pics in winter when all the leaves fall off

Posted: 5/30/2010 5:07:35 PM EDT

[#11]

Looking good!

Posted: 5/30/2010 7:33:39 PM EDT

[#12]

Could your put up a ground mounted vertical antenna or would that be an HOA issue?

Posted: 5/30/2010 7:47:19 PM EDT

[#13]

I think it would have to be disguised as a flagpole or birdhouse.

Posted: 5/30/2010 10:46:46 PM EDT

[#14]

Excellent job Big Daddy!!! AND––- In true Klingon fashion you have engaged the cloaking device!

You ROCK, Sir!

Posted: 5/31/2010 6:19:49 AM EDT

[#15]

Thanks for the comments, everyone.

The antenna seems to be working well. SWR is right at 1.0 as measured by the IC-703's built in meter. I need to get a real analyzer.
Just made a good contact with the 14.300 INTERCON Net in NH, 783 miles bearing 70.4 degrees ENE using 10w. With the East - West orientation of my antenna, I believe that's to one side of its main radiation lobes.

Posted: 5/31/2010 6:34:22 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Just made a good contact with the 14.300 INTERCON Net in NH, 783 miles bearing 70.4 degrees ENE using 10w.

that was me, ace. and i'm just down the block from you, with another orange thing –– my trusty Stihl chainsaw. ARFCOM thinks you have too many trees nearby.

ar-jedi

ps
http://home.comcast.net/~gregbell/Between%20Fence%20and%20Woods.jpg
do you mow that area? or is the coax now in the ground? otherwise i would want to make sure the mower doesn't grab the antenna lead.

Posted: 5/31/2010 6:51:25 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Just made a good contact with the 14.300 INTERCON Net in NH, 783 miles bearing 70.4 degrees ENE using 10w.

that was me, ace. and i'm just down the block from you, with another orange thing –– my trusty Stihl chainsaw. ARFCOM thinks you have too many trees nearby.

ar-jedi

ps
http://home.comcast.net/~gregbell/Between%20Fence%20and%20Woods.jpg
do you mow that area? or is the coax now in the ground? otherwise i would want to make sure the mower doesn't grab the antenna lead.

Drop some Agent Orange in there, clear a field of fire!

Posted: 5/31/2010 7:07:07 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
do you mow that area? or is the coax now in the ground? otherwise i would want to make sure the mower doesn't grab the antenna lead.

I mowed it two days ago before the antenna coax was there. It'll be buried across that path today.

Posted: 5/31/2010 7:21:04 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Drop some Agent Orange in there, clear a field of fire!

The Anti-Zombie claymores around the fence perimeter should work pretty well.

Posted: 5/31/2010 8:02:38 AM EDT

[#20]

I'm planning on taking my 8' ladder back to the antenna support trees and securing the ropes up about 10' to keep them out of easy reach from any kids.

Originally Quoted By My XYL:
Honey, where are the chrome coat hooks that were in your office?

Posted: 5/31/2010 11:05:30 AM EDT

[#21]

First line of thunderstorms headed this way since the antenna went up. This could be interesting.

Posted: 5/31/2010 11:14:29 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
First line of thunderstorms headed this way since the antenna went up. This could be interesting.

lol on the hooks

I have bricks on my end ropes to prevent it from bouncing my dipole apart. Also helps with ice loads .

Posted: 5/31/2010 11:28:35 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:

Quoted:
First line of thunderstorms headed this way since the antenna went up. This could be interesting.

lol on the hooks

I have bricks on my end ropes to prevent it from bouncing my dipole apart. Also helps with ice loads .

I reduced the tension on the antenna support ropes some. I'll add eye bolts to each of the trees and attach trampoline springs between them and the antenna support ropes. It's not going to happen before the storm, though.

ETA: Came through like a champ.

Posted: 6/1/2010 5:27:13 PM EDT

[#24]

I wanted to tidy up the ropes and keep them out of easy reach from any kids (or Zombies) that play in the woods. The last 2 pics are a little over 10' feet high, on the back sides of the trees away from the houses.

7/16" x 5-1/4" Lag Screw Eyes - painted flat brown

1" x 12" x .105" Utility Extension Springs - painted flat brown

The pulley support rope is tied off to the lag screw eye. Then the antenna support rope is tied to the spring, and then to the lag screw eye. The springs should stretch when the trees sway in the wind and relieve some stress. The coat hooks are from my shack/office just to hold the rope bundles.

Posted: 6/1/2010 8:13:50 PM EDT

[#25]

Sounds and looks like mission accomplished. Glad to hear it made it through the storm. You've almost got me convinced I could do the same in my neighbors yard/trees and they'd be none the wiser lol. I'm almost to the point of plotting. They only come out of there house in the a.m. And I think they're eyes are still closed. As far as the coat hanger hooks, sounds like something I'd have to explain as I'm always the first to get questioned when something turns up missing errrrm, I mean put to good use around here as well. Btw S.E Indiana here about 35 miles west of cincy, right in the middle of the gambling boats.

Posted: 6/3/2010 11:15:01 AM EDT

[#26]

Regarding storms, I can recall my first experience long ago with a wire antenna. It was late one night and I was in bed and a thunder storm was approaching. I always kept my antennas disconnected but the leads were usually dangling behind the table. Anyway, I kept hearing this random tick, tick noise, and it was driving me nuts. I finally rolled over to see the arc jumping from the antenna lead to the screw that held the phone jack in the wall

.

Now all antennas that are not DC shorted to ground either have the leads tossed out the window when not in use or are attached to a grounded SO-239.

Nice job on the camouflage & install. So with the spiffy Emcomm box and the covert antenna behind you, what are you going to do for an encore?

Posted: 6/3/2010 12:46:44 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:

Regarding storms, I can recall my first experience long ago with a wire antenna. It was late one night and I was in bed and a thunder storm was approaching. I always kept my antennas disconnected but the leads were usually dangling behind the table. Anyway, I kept hearing this random tick, tick noise, and it was driving me nuts. I finally rolled over to see the arc jumping from the antenna lead to the screw that held the phone jack in the wall

.

Now all antennas that are not DC shorted to ground either have the leads tossed out the window when not in use or are attached to a grounded SO-239.

Nice job on the camouflage & install. So with the spiffy Emcomm box and the covert antenna behind you, what are you going to do for an encore?

This is why all of my antennas feed thru an I.C.E. dc shunted lightening protectors. That charge build up can also happen during high wind or low humidity situations.

This type of charge will cause ground to cloud discharges.

Posted: 6/3/2010 1:40:18 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
Nice job on the camouflage & install. So with the spiffy Emcomm box and the covert antenna behind you, what are you going to do for an encore?

Thanks. I still need to trench in the coax and ground the whole station and antenna as you said. I have been disconnecting the short BNC jumper from the PL-259 to the Emcomm box, and leaving it hanging outside the shack window when not in use.
And then I'll move on to selecting a base radio.

Posted: 6/3/2010 1:44:19 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
This is why all of my antennas feed thru an I.C.E. dc shunted lightening protectors.

I've been following along with the recent lightning protection / shack grounding threads. That's next on the list, I think.

Posted: 6/3/2010 2:15:34 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:

Quoted:

This is why all of my antennas feed thru an I.C.E. dc shunted lightening protectors.

I've been following along with the recent lightning protection / shack grounding threads. That's next on the list, I think.

I need to take and post up some pics of the mounting plate with ground rod I use as a central point of all my coax.

Posted: 6/23/2010 2:13:05 AM EDT

[#31]

I use one of these for my central grounding point.

http://www.rlham.com/cgi-bin/shop/modellookup.dbw?MODEL=43950

Posted: 6/23/2010 8:24:32 AM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
http://www.randl.com/binary/dataimages/harger/43950.jpg

I use one of these for my central grounding point.

http://www.rlham.com/cgi-bin/shop/modellookup.dbw?MODEL=43950

How and where do you have this wired in, please, K9-Bob?

Posted: 7/13/2010 7:08:04 PM EDT

[#33]

Had a nice quiet night at home, the wife and kids went to bed early. So I made a new UnUn for the portable HF antenna in a handy take-home size.

Posted: 7/13/2010 7:53:44 PM EDT

[#34]

Very nice ....... I have very little "free" time so I hate you for this .

Posted: 7/13/2010 7:53:44 PM EDT

[#35]

Very nice ....... I have very little "free" time so I hate you for this .

Posted: 7/13/2010 8:26:22 PM EDT

[#36]

nice work! a quick comment for your next project... in general, when connecting RF circuits via point -to-point coaxial cable –– try to keep the coax braid uniformly around the center conductor for as long as possible. this provides constant impedance and less crosstalk. in the construction illustrated below, bend the BNC metal ground tab until it is parallel with the BNC center conductor. the coaxial cable then continues "as a coax" right up until the last moment, when the braid is tied off to one side onto the BNC metal ground tab. in theory, you should only end up with about 1/4" of exposed center conductor. i use the term "exposed" here in the RF sense (the center conductor has no braid cover), not the sense that there is exposed metallic conductor.

ar-jedi

Quoted:

Posted: 7/13/2010 8:41:22 PM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:
Very nice ....... I have very little "free" time so I hate you for this .

Thanks, Hawk_308. Late night soldering while watching the "Firefly" Sci-Fi series. Life is good!

Quoted:

nice work! a quick comment for your next project... in general, when connecting RF circuits via point -to-point coaxial cable –– try to keep the coax braid uniformly around the center conductor for as long as possible. this provides constant impedance and less crosstalk. in the construction illustrated below, bend the BNC metal ground tab until it is parallel with the BNC center conductor. the coaxial cable then continues "as a coax" right up until the last moment, when the braid is tied off to one side onto the BNC metal ground tab. in theory, you should only end up with about 1/4" of exposed center conductor. i use the term "exposed" here in the RF sense (the center conductor has no braid cover), not the sense that there is exposed metallic conductor.

ar-jedi

Quoted:
http://home.comcast.net/~gregbell/Altoids UnUn 5.jpg

http://losdos.dyndns.org/public/misc/AltoidsUnUn5-annotated.jpg

Thanks ar-jedi. That makes sense to me. I think I'll re-do it that way. My soldering skills are getting a little better with each project.

Posted: 7/14/2010 12:35:44 AM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
Late night soldering while watching the "Firefly" Sci-Fi series. Life is good!

Shiney!!!!

<––-I named them "Jayne" and "Kaylee"!!! (Orneriest dogs in the whole 'ruttin 'verse!)

Keep aiming to misbehave!!! (I do)

Posted: 7/14/2010 6:38:00 AM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:
That makes sense to me.

your goal is to minimize the area "inside" the separated center conductor and braid. the larger that area is, the better the loop antenna you have, and the worse your noise/crosstalk/coupling/etc problems will be. compare the areas in the two pictures above.

you can even cut the already-very-much-reduced area in the second pic in half by getting two more nuts and using them to lock the ground tab out at the back end of the threaded barrel. now cut the ground tab pretty short, and keep the braid short as well.

ar-jedi

Posted: 7/14/2010 8:05:28 AM EDT

[#40]

Linky for the toroid?? how many turns did u use?

Nice!

Added to my growing project list....

Posted: 7/14/2010 8:16:09 AM EDT

[#41]

Quoted:
Linky for the toroid?? how many turns did u use?

Nice!

Added to my growing project list....

Thanks Mndless. Link to my 1st UnUn in this thread.

KC8AON's UnUn link.

T130-2 core with 18 Bifilar turns of 20awg wire.

Posted: 7/14/2010 10:15:44 AM EDT

[#42]

Quoted:

Quoted:
That makes sense to me.

your goal is to minimize the area "inside" the separated center conductor and braid. the larger that area is, the better the loop antenna you have, and the worse your noise/crosstalk/coupling/etc problems will be. compare the areas in the two pictures above.

you can even cut the already-very-much-reduced area in the second pic in half by getting two more nuts and using them to lock the ground tab out at the back end of the threaded barrel. now cut the ground tab pretty short, and keep the braid short as well.

ar-jedi

This will be tonight's project.

Posted: 7/14/2010 10:33:18 AM EDT

[#43]

Quoted:
This will be tonight's project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V83JR2IoI8k

"Good heavens Miss Sakamoto - you're beautiful!"
I don't believe it!
There she goes again!
She's tidied up, and I can't find anything!
All my tubes and wires
And careful notes
And antiquated notions

btw, everyone should read this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_Pyke

ar-jedi

Posted: 7/14/2010 3:32:01 PM EDT

[#44]

That makes a lot neater installation.

Posted: 7/14/2010 4:35:55 PM EDT

[#45]

Quoted:
That makes a lot neater installation.
http://home.comcast.net/~gregbell/Altoids UnUn Redo 7.jpg

"NASA-grade / man-rated", that how it looks it to me.

ar-jedi

Posted: 7/14/2010 5:30:44 PM EDT

[#46]

triple nut BNC is the schnittzz...

Posted: 7/14/2010 5:48:28 PM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:
triple nut BNC is the schnittzz...

IIRC, Dr. Evil had triple nuts, also....Release the Meteor!

Posted: 7/14/2010 9:29:52 PM EDT

[#48]

Yall are killing me .... or maybe its because I just finished another 18+ hour work day.

Posted: 7/15/2010 4:56:55 AM EDT

[#49]

Quoted:

Quoted:
That makes a lot neater installation.
http://home.comcast.net/~gregbell/Altoids UnUn Redo 7.jpg

"NASA-grade / man-rated", that how it looks it to me.

ar-jedi

Tested the new UnUn with my emergency / field antenna setup consisting of a 50' 26awg wire sloping up to a 20' crappie pole + counterpoise at the rear fence line of our home. 5-5 signal report on 20m from KB5YQ in Texas with 10w.
I keep this antenna deployed along the top of the 6' privacy fence with the telescoping crappie pole collapsed and stowed. That way, if a storm takes out the primary HF antenna in the trees, I still have HF comm available. A 50' BNC on a cable reel connects the UnUn to the Emcomm Box through the shack window.